(Eagle News)–Senator Joel Villanueva has asked the government to continue paying for workers it contracted in the executive department while work remains suspended in agencies under the Office of the President.
In a statement, Villanueva pointed said the suspension, which was ordered to prevent the spread of COVID-19, would affect the livelihood of nearly 30 percent of government workers who are categorized as job order or contract of service.
“Lubos pong maaapektuhan ang ating mga manggagawa, lalo na ang mga nasa contractual na kategorya, dahil no work, no pay ang nangingibabaw na polisiya,” the lawmaker said.
He said data from the Civil Service Commission shows that of the 2.4 million workers in government, some 660,000 workers fall under this category.
Villanueva also asked the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to clarify the issue for the private sector, which is encouraged to implement telecommuting work arrangements in their organizations as appropriate.
“No work, no pay rin po ang ating pribadong sektor. Kaya po hinihiling natin sa DOLE na bigyan ng linaw ang magiging panuntunan na ipapatupad sa kanila pagdating sa trabaho,” he said.
Apart from the executive, the House of Representatives and the judiciary said it would deploy only a skeletal force until April as a precaution against COVID-19.
