Sen. Win Gatchalian presides over the Committee on Ways and Means hearing on various measures seeking to impose value-added tax (VAT) on digital transactions Thursday, July 6, 2023. Joseph Vidal, Senate PRIB/File

MANILA -- Rank and file employees will have a voice in the deliberations on the proposed rightsizing of the government. 

This was the assurance of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday when asked about the welfare of such employees under Senate Bill 890, or "Rightsizing the National Government Act of 2022". 

The bill aims to streamline government operations by improving efficiency, reducing redundancies, and ensuring resources are properly allocated.  

It also gives the President the power to abolish agencies without repealing the law that created them, and the authority to transfer employees to a different agency.  

"Normally sa ganito ang tinatamaan rank and file employees," Gatchalian said in a press conference. "Bibigyan sila ng one seat sa committee at bibigyan sila ng boses throughout the process." 

"Pag sila lilipat, mabibigyan sila ng tamang kaalaman at kasanayan sa bagong offices na pupuntahan nila," he added. 

READ: Government to save billions with 'rightsizing' -- Budget dept

READ: DND opposes inclusion of AFP in rightsizing bill

Gatchalian supports the bill as he sees the need to make government more efficient and to save money because some offices are no longer "attuned to the time" or "obsolete". He named the Optical Media Board as one of these. 

He emphasized, however, the need for the executive branch to be clearer with details related to the bill. At Tuesday's consultative meeting, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) could not fully answer questions of Gatchalian and Senate President Francis Escudero on some matters such as savings that will be generated and agencies that are deemed redundant. 

"For now malaki ang aking concern kasi merong admin bill, pero wala namang cost-benefit analysis, walang impact study. Sinabi rin ng DBM na ongoing pa ang cost-benefit analysis at impact study. Parang suntok sa buwan ito," Gatchalian said.

"Magdedelegate ng power ang Kongreso sa Presidente para mag-rightsize ng mga offices… mabibigyan ng karapatan ang Pangulo na tanggalin ang offices kahit created by law. Dapat klaro ang magiging benepisyo sa ating lahat, ano kalalabasan ng rightsizing o optimization," he pointed out. 

Asked if there is still time to deliberate the bill, Gatchalian said Escudero is prioritizing it.

"Ang bola nasa kamay ng DBM, sila nagpu-push nito so sila ang dapat magdefend nito," Gatchalian stated. "Parang di urgent kasi walang study. Kung urgent ito, dapat kumpleto na."

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