Proposed 2024 budget includes funds for government rightsizing

MANILA — The proposed 2024 national budget pending before the House of Representatives includes funds for the implementation of the government’s rightsizing plan, which a lawmaker has flagged for its potential to leave state workers jobless.

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro got the confirmation from Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman at the start of budget deliberations at the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday

“Under the pension and gratuity fund for 2024 NEP po, the pension po is P142.365 billion while the retirement, gratuity, and terminal leave po is P108.5 billion and meron pong others na item which is P2.3 billion,” Pangandaman said.

Castro then commented, “Parang ang laki-laking amount... Ito ba yung earmark natin for rightsizing?”

(This seems like a very big amount. Is this what we earmarked for rightsizing?)

“Yes, bulk of the increase is allocated for the payment of retirement, and terminal leave benefits for government employees who will optionally retire for 2024 and we also incorporated the potential requirements for the government’s rightsizing reform, specifically for separation benefits and other retirement gratuity and terminal leave deficiencies,” Pangandaman said.

• DBM denies rightsizing to lead to mass layoff
• Gov't workers to lose jobs in rightsizing plan - labor group

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Castro noted that this year's budget for that item was just P15 billion.

The Act Teachers party-list representative reiterated her concern for this item during the Makabayan bloc press conference on Friday.

“Napansin din natin yung budget doon para sa sinasabing tanggalan, budget dahil sa pagpapatupad ng rightsizing by next year," Castro said.

"So, may mga sabihin man nila na merong mga retooling or...wala namang matatanggal, pero sa lahat ng reorganization may mga natatanggal naman talaga. Ito ay naging karanasan na natin sa nakalipas. Merong budget para sa tanggalan," she continued.

(We noticed the budget for layoffs, budget for implementing the rightsizing by next year. So, even if they say there will be retooling and no one will be laid off, there are layoffs in any reorganization. That's what we experienced in the past. There is a budget for layoffs.)

• Gov't rightsizing 'not aimed at terminating employees': Palace

The proposed government rightsizing law is a priority of the administration.

Voting 292-3-0, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill 7240 or the proposed "National Government Rightsizing Act” back in March.

• 2M gov't employees apektado ng Rightsizing Act

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