Alvarez’s statement irks Capitol employees

RANK and file employees of the provincial government expressed disbelief over the statement of Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez who reportedly said that their protest action to press for the release of their salary increase and additional bonus is only “drama.”

The employees belonging to the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE) said that they believe that Alvarez is not properly advised about their plight.

PACE has declared a period of mourning until the Provincial Board (PB) approves the 2013 provincial budget that will allow the release of the last tranche of their salary increase and additional bonus of 20,000 each.

"We are only asking what is rightfully ours under the law. Nothing more," said Bobby Subong, a utility worker at the Capitol.

Avarez has been saying that the delay in the approval of the budget is due to the careful review of the budget by the members of the provincial board which they are doing for the sake of whole people of Negros and that they cannot sacrifice them just for the sake of more than 2,000 employees of Capitol.

The budget approval is seen in April, according to Board Member Salvador Escalante, chairman of the Committee on Finance.

Subong, on the other hand, said that the PB members should also understand the plight of the Capitol employees. He said that several Capitol employees have already used their P20,000 bonus as collateral for loans, especially with the CAPGEM. (TDE)