Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz on Friday denied the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) had stopped payments to poor working students under the government’s special employment program, saying they were “just delayed.”
Baldoz said the report in the Inquirer on the DOLE owing the students millions was “not true.”
It was “very clear” that the Commission on Audit (COA) report did not say there was a failure to make payments to the beneficiaries of the Special Program for the Employment of Students, she added.
The secretary said the COA report “clearly says that payments to at least 32,702 students amounting to P82,574,452.02 of the P233,381,644.38 in calendar year for the 40-percent share of the DOLE have been made.” But she admitted they were delayed from “one to 474 days.”
“We explained to the COA the reasons for the delay during the exit conference on the report,” Baldoz said.
Regarding the delay, as well as the other issues raised by the COA in its report, the secretary said: “I have already issued a memorandum to all DOLE regional directors concerned to submit to me not later than 3 p.m. today the actions they have taken relative to the COA findings and recommendations. Failure to comply with my directive will be dealt with accordingly, including the suspension of salaries and allowances.” Jerome Aning
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