ARROYO’S TERM EXTENSION COULD WORSEN STATE WORKERS’ SITUATION - COURAGE

Submitted by courage_phil on Wed, 02/17/2010 - 15:13.

MANILA – A poor rating, a
recommendation for an immediate dismissal from service and a pledge to never allow
a term extension was how government workers’ sum-up President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo’s 9-year stint.

 

Carrying a big mock Performance Evaluation
System (PES) report of Mrs. Arroyo, hundreds of employees from various
government agencies today marched to Mendiola to push for their democratic
agenda and call on the Filipino people to unite against Arroyo’s manoeuvres to
remain in power beyond 2010. The PES is the point-system being used annually by
government agencies to appraise the performance of their respective employees.
A poor rating meant a penalty of dismissal from service.  

 

 “The state of the 1.5 million government
employees has gone from bad to worse under the Arroyo administration and we can
hardly wait for it to finally end. To us, a term extension would mean more
years of wage freeze, lack of job security and misuse of our GSIS funds and inefficient
services from the State Pension fund,” said COURAGE National President
Ferdinand Gaite.

 

The group claimed that the protest
action was also meant to challenge presidential aspirants to present their
concrete programs for the state workers and consider their 15-point Agenda. The
said Agenda was a result of a national consultation among employees from
various branches of the bureaucracy. Among others, included are the demand for the
full implementation of SSL 3 in 2010, the junking of EO 366 or the
rationalization program, better packages of benefits and services from GSIS, a
clear policy against corruption and privatization. They expressed frustration
over the neglect of previous national leaders when it comes to their interests.

 

“We have yet to encounter leaders in
the executive who will consistently champion the government employees’ rights
and welfare. However, our ranks positively welcome the senatorial bids of two
known progressive lawmakers, Rep. Satur Ocampo and Rep. Liza Maza. They have sponsored
bills and resolutions which favoured the interests not only of lowly-paid
government employees but also of other marginalized sectors. The two were among
the lawmakers who tirelessly supported our issues. Given their track record, we
are confident that they will genuinely represent us in the Upper House,”
affirmed Gaite.

 

The leader also dared the candidates
to expound on how they will make Mrs. Arroyo accountable for all her crimes
against the Filipino people during her rule. He reminded the electorate to
choose a president who will offer a definite plan in pursuing justice for the
victims of Arroyo’s atrocities.

 

At the same rally, the protesters pressured
Mrs. Arroyo to immediately release the Morong 43 who were purportedly illegally
arrested and tortured while detained in Camp Capinpin. “We are very alarmed
with Malacañang’s nonchalance on this matter. As Commander-in-Chief, she is
accountable for the actions of her men in the AFP. We suspect that the military’s
bravado in justifying their ill treatments of the detainees is a result of
their Commander-in-Chief’s backing to deliberately quash dissenters. As the
election fever escalates, the Arroyo administration is desperately implementing
an all-out attack against progressive groups and individuals. We have witnessed
how it filed trumped-up charges against Ocampo and Maza last 2007 elections just
to discredit their candidacies as Bayan Muna and Gabriela Women’s Party
representatives, respectively. Accusing the 43 health workers as NPA members
and linking them to militant partylists are nothing but recycled and dirty
tactics of the government to slash the votes of progressive candidates,” Gaite
ended. #