COURAGE SUPPORTS PCSO EMPLOYEES VS. PRIVATIZATION
Submitted by courage_phil on Wed, 09/28/2011 - 00:36.
QUEZON CITY—The Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE) today expressed support for PCSO employees who are waging a campaign against the proposed privatization of their agency. Senator Franklin Drilon called for the privatization of Pagcor and PCSO as a solution to the rampant corruption and misuse of funds in the abovementioned agencies.
COURAGE National President Ferdinand R. Gaite hailed the leaders and members of the PCSO’s Sweepstakes Employees Union (SEU) who recently held a protest action criticizing the impending privatization of PCSO. “With the passage of the Republic Act 10149, or the GOCC Governance Act of 2011, many government agencies are now subjected to threats of abolition, merger or privatization, all in the guise of eradicating corruption in the bureaucracy. While we are one in condemning the corruption, misuse and abuse of PCSO funds, we believe that the job security and tenure of PCSO employees should not be endangered in the process of rooting out corrupt officials,” Gaite said.
“Experience has proven that privatization inevitably results in widespread lay-offs and displacement for employees. Done amidst hard times, with the prices of agricultural produce and transportation costs expected to soar in September, the possible job loss of thousands of employees due to privatization will be a fatal blow to the families of state workers who are living on the brink of poverty and destitution,” Gaite added.
The labor leader also challenged the Aquino administration to prove its sincerity by immediately indicting corrupt government officials found responsible for the misuse of PCSO funds.
“We dare the Aquino administration to immediately go after these corrupt officials and exhaust all possible measures to compel them to return the money that they stole from Pagcor and the PCSO. Instead of putting the job security of PCSO employees on the line, Noynoy should make sure that those corrupt bureaucrats who pilfered PCSO funds are held criminally-liable for their acts,” Gaite concluded. ###
PRESS RELEASE
August 1, 2011
References: Ferdinand Gaite, National President
: Jen Mendoza, Media Liaison