The chair of the House of Representatives’ labor and employment committee lauded President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s move to extend the engagement of contract of service (COS) and job order (JO) workers in government whose contracts will expire in December this year.
“Napakaagang pamasko ito para sa ating mga COS at JO sa pamahalaan. Marami-raming mga kababayan natin ang makikinabang sa direktibang ito. Ngayon, makapagtatrabaho sila nang walang pangamba na pagkatapos ng taon ay mawawalan sila ng kabuhayan,” Rizal 4th District Rep. Fidel Nograles said.
Nograles also expressed his full support for the president’s pronouncement for government agencies to develop COS and JO workers’ skills and capabilities by reeducating and training them with the help of higher learning institutions and enabling them to pass the civil service examination.
The President’s move is seen to benefit around 832,812 COS and JO employees who comprise 29.68 percent (as of June 30, 2023) of the government workforce. The figure marks a 29.71-percent increase from 2022.
Nograles also expressed his full support for the president’s pronouncement for government agencies to develop COS and JO workers’ skills and capabilities by reeducating and training them with the help of higher learning institutions and enabling them to pass the civil service examination.
“Of course, we want our civil service to be composed of competent people who are able to fulfill the unique demands of public service.”
“Kung mabibigyan ng karampatang training ang ating mga JO at COS, mabibigyan sila ng pagkakataon na makuha ang mga plantilla positions na nahihirapan rin tayong punuin,” said the lawmaker.
Allowing JO and COS employees to attain plantilla positions would eliminate their precarious situation, as they would then be entitled to various benefits not otherwise granted to temporary employees such as insurance and leave benefits, Nograles also said.
A COS refers to the engagement of the services of an individual, private firm, other government agency, non-government agency, or international organization as a consultant, learning service provider or technical expert to undertake a special project or job within a specific period.
Meanwhile, JO, refers to piece-work (pakyaw), intermittent or emergency jobs to be undertaken for a short duration and for a specific piece of job.
The five national government agencies with the highest number of COS and JO workers include the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), 29,275; Department of Health (DOH), 18,264; Department of Education (DepEd), 15,143; Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), 13,770; and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), 10,990.
