Capitol employees hold ‘boodle fight’

OFFICIALS of the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (Pace) led a “boodle fight” on Wednesday with some Negros Occidental Provincial Government employees who are worried that their salary increase is not yet acted upon.

"We are doing this because we want them to feel that we are affected. We show our sentiments that we are affected by the crisis. We are appealing to all our provincial officials that they should stop politicking on our salary increase because it's is affecting us too much," said Pace president Ruben Diamante, who led the boodle fight.

Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has already clarified that the salary increase is retroactive effective January 2013.

About 100 Capitol employees joined the boodle fight dubbed "Employees united will never be defeated." They ate rice, sardines and dried fish.

They adorned the Capitol lobby with balloons bearing printed messages, "Tani pangbayad ko pa sa tuition. Tani pangbayad consumo kag maintenance (belong). Retirement benefits. 4th tranche salary increase. P20,000 extra bonus."

Board Member Manman Ko said he will have to check with the proper agencies about reports the employees stand to be slapped with two percent penalties of their GSIS contribution because of the non-release of the fourth tranche of their salary increase.

"We are again interpreting things which should be avoided. Last time, the DBM has interpreted the effectivity of the increase in salaries of the Capitol employees, the BM made a win-win solution for everybody,” Ko said.

The Provincial Board has not proceeded with its regular session on Wednesday as the 2013 budget is still being deliberated by the Committee on Finance.

"I cannot be threatened by the 2,000 employees which is only about one percent of the total population of Negros. We want to make sure of the welfare of the majority of the people of Negros," he said, explaining the ongoing scrutiny by the PB of the proposed provincial budget for 2013.

Board Member Salvador Escalante said they still have several resource speakers (department heads) lined up to defend the budget of their respective offices. He said the committee hearing will take about three to four weeks.