Amid the reduction in its National Tax Allocation by more than P782 million in 2023, the provincial government of Negros Occidental assures its more than 3,000 permanent and casual workers of fourth tranche salary increases and benefits.
Provincial Administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, also said that there will be no retrenchment of Contract of Service (COS) and Job Order (JO) workers, as they are considered “essentials”.
“They are professionals who do the jobs required by national agencies, but cannot be accommodated as regular employees,” Diaz said.
He added that the hiring of additional employees will continue, to replace those who cannot continue their services for a variety of reasons.
The Capitol is set to hire 190 farm workers, who will help ensure the rice sufficiency program of the provincial government in the next two years, Diaz added.
He also announced that the third tranche of salary increases of Capitol employees, that was approved by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, took effect July this year.
Majority of those who benefitted from the latest round of wage hike, are those in the lower ranks and middle managers.
In a statement, the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE) said “it is thankful for the continued support of the provincial government of Negros Occidental, under the leadership of Gov. Lacson, and for their assurance of the implementation of the fourth tranche salary increase, despite the NTA reduction”.
Negros Occidental and its 31 towns and cities, and the highly-urbanized Bacolod City, will suffer a P3.8 billion drop in NTA next year./GB
