Saturday, September 27, 2008 Panlilio, union forge pact By Jovi T. De Leon
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio and officers of the Capitol employees union signed Wednesday morning the “first” and “historic” Collective Negotiations Agreement (CNA) seen to largely benefit the hundreds of employees working in the various departments and units of the Provincial Government.
The CNA is the counterpart of the private sector’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Although a ceremonial signing of the agreement was already done in December last year, it is only now that it has been officially inked between the two parties.
The agreement has been registered with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole).
Union president Remigio Caputchino said this year’s CNA contains terms and agreements regarding the Provincial Government employees’ loyalty pay, provident fund, promotions and housing benefits.
The agreement calls for the allocation and distribution of 50 percent of Capitol’s savings to employees of the province’s various departments and units.
He added that specific amounts which will be received by the employees are not stipulated in the agreement since these will depend on “year-end bottom lines.”
Liberato Baltazar, the union’s vice-president, explained that the incentives, which will be in the form of bonuses, will be sourced from savings generated by the entire Provincial Government from its cost-cutting measures and programs.
Baltazar, who works at the Provincial Engineer’s Office, said the signing of the CNA is “a welcome move for all personnel of the Provincial Government, especially now that the cost of living has drastically risen.”
Union’s past president Pilipina Calma further noted that the CNA, which the former and incumbent union officers worked on, is “a whole new package of benefits primarily highlighted by the creation of a provident fund.”
She said “what’s even better in this agreement is the monetarization of our leave credits, which will not be charged to the CNA but to a separate appropriation and budget allocation.”
Panlilio meanwhile, expressed his happiness in realizing this “historic moment” that proves “democracy is indeed alive in Pampanga despite the current political upheavals.” He urged the union officers and members and all Capitol employees to unite in pursuing the Capitol’s programs for the people, saying “let us help in the entry o f basic services which our people need.”
Standing as a witness to the signing of the agreement, Provincial Administrator Vivian Dabu called on the officers and members of the union to identify as soon as possible their representatives who will help create and establish the necessary committees for the immediate implementation of the action plan submitted already submitted by the past and present union leaders.
Aside from Caputchino and Baltazar, the union’s officers include Remedios David, secretary; Elizabeth Larema, treasurer; Emerenciano Navarro, auditor; Romeo Tungol, public relations officer; and Philip Galura, sergeant-at-arms.
Representatives from the various departments and units of the Provincial Government comprise the 15-member Board of Directors of the union.
