THE administration of Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson is eyeing for the reduction of casuals and job order employees to only 700 by March this year.

"After March, we will make a decision who among the casuals will be retained unless they are facing complaints," Lacson said.

He said that currently, the Capitol has about 800 casual employees.

"I have asked Atty. Annabelle Palic, the Human Resource officer, if there's a way to objectively decide who should be retained and who should not be," the governor said.

The ideal number is 700, he said.

He added that he does not want to affect the work of the department but he just want to reduce the number of casuals to a fix number.

Lacson said the ceiling for personal services mandated by the Department of Budget and Management is 45 percent.

The planned reduction to 700 is not even 45 percent, the number might even be more. We have requirements with the hospitals, he also said.

"I have not yet sat down with the provincial administrator to discuss the planned re- organization. It is just an idea. Nothing is definite yet," Lacson said.