OCD chief saves day for contractual workers

OCD Administrator Alexander Pama. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Contractual workers of the Office for Civil Defense would not be laid off after all.

Undersecretary Alexander Pama, Administrator of OCD, managed to save all 182 (not 200 as earlier reported), whose contracts were set to expire Monday, from the axe.

OCD Spokesperson Romina Marasigan said that Pama went to the Department of Budget and Management to lobby for the release of funds that would become salaries of the 182 workers until the third quarter of 2014.

“Luckily, we were able to get the support and [commitment of the DBM to release the funds],” she said.

As part of the lobby, Marasigan said that they had to convince the DBM that the OCD needs all 182 employees in their operations.

“For the past several days, losing sleep and all, we have lobbied to the DBM that the 182 should stay and that we need them,” Marasigan said.

All 182, however, are not part of the organizational structure of the OCD as they are only contractual employees.

Marasigan added that the OCD hopes to regularize the 182 employees by September when their contract extension expires.

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