More than 250 employees of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) have already submitted their applications to the Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power), which is the joint venture company that will soon establish and maintain an electric power distribution system in central Negros.
They are now in the process of being hired, Negros Power president Roel Castro said.
The joint venture agreement of Ceneco and Primelectric/Negros Power and the proposed franchise gives Ceneco employees a priority in the hiring of its workforce.
However, Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, said that current Ceneco employees could not just be absorbed automatically by Negros Power.
During the March 5 hearing for the franchise bill of Negros Power, Poe said that while there are employees of Ceneco who are excellent in their jobs and deserve to be absorbed, there are also lazy employees.
“It will be unfair to the joint venture company if they hire them automatically,” she added.
Poe also advocated that the hiring of employees must be based on performance, and not on the age, gender or appearance of the employee.
The senator added that a joint venture company needs people who are working and are dedicated to their jobs to guarantee its success.
“So employment is not a right; you also have to be able to fulfill your responsibilities,” Poe said. ||
