Senate OKs 2 bills for gov’t workers

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate has passed two bills that would provide security of tenure for casual and contractual employees of the government and grant civil service eligibility to qualified members of local government councils.

Senate Bills 2875 and 2946 were passed on third and final reading before Congress went on break last Wednesday.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, chairman of the Senate committee on civil service and reorganization, sponsored both bills.

Under Senate Bill 2875, casual and contractual employees in the national government who have rendered at least five years of continuous service would be given secure of tenure or a permanent employee status in their respective offices.

In the case of local government employees, those who have served for 10 consecutive years would have the same privilege.

“I believe that casual and contractual employees who have rendered long years of dedicated service to the government and the public are entitled to security of tenure…a right which is not only part of our labor statutes and jurisprudence, but which is inscribed in the fundamental law itself, the 1987 Constitution,” Trillanes said.

A counterpart bill has been filed in the House of Representatives but is still pending in the committee on civil service and professional regulation.

Senate Bill 2946, on the other hand, would allow for the granting of the equivalent to a career service professional eligibility to a member of the Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council), Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council) and Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) who has served for an aggregate period of nine years in office, provided that the member has a college degree.

For Sanggunian members who have served for an aggregate period of six years, they would be granted the equivalent of a career service sub-professional eligibility, provided that they have at earned at least 72 units in any baccalaureate degree program.

“The very important role the members of our local legislative bodies play in their respective local government units as well as in their larger communities clearly entitles them to the conferment of this affirmative entitlement, honor and privilege,” Trillanes said.

He said the proposal has the unqualified support of the Philippine Councilors League, the nationwide association of the 16,000-strong city and municipal councilors, which they consider as a legacy bill.

The House has already passed a similar bill. –Marvin Sy (The Philippine Star)