OFFICIALS of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC), headed by their president, Manuel Gaerlan, have expressed support to state-run firm's employees who are calling for the suspension of the Compensation and Position Classification System (CPCS) of the Government Commission for GOCCs (GCG).
Gaerlan said the CDC management and board are aware of the concerns of the CDC employees, particularly the rank and file workers, who will lose some benefits if the CPCS is implemented.
During a press conference on Saturday, the official assured that the management will fight for the welfare of its employees.
The CDC chief said that last June 22, the Authority to Implement (ATI) the CPCS was released as a compliance to E.O. 150 Series of 2021 (Approving CPCS) which the employees are long waiting for.
"Unfortunately, yung naging resulta ng ATI, especially the standardization of the different Job Levels and conversion into Job Grades ay hindi naging favorable particularly sa Rank-and-File namin. Of course, dun sa level ng mga executives up to the level of managers tumaas yung basic monthly salary," Gaerlan stressed.
He said because of the ATI ng CPCS, some of the allowances, benefits, and incentives (ABIs) not covered or not approved by the president or covered by a specific law will be discontinued.
"So, ito ang naging concern ng aming mga empleyado at alam nga natin na nung Friday ay nagconduct sila ng protesta at naglabas ng saloobin ang ACCES and other employees," Gaerlan added.
He pointed out that the CDC officials support the workers in airing their grievances.
"We fully support them and hopefully we will be able to convince the authorities, particularly the GCG to reconsider their decision on the CPCS at sana naman ay mas maging paborable sa ating mga manggagawa," Gaerlan said.
The CDC president said they already made an appeal to the GCG to give CDC rank-and-file higher Job Grade equivalent, in view of the loss of some of their allowances and incentives due to the implementation of the E.O.
"I would say na ito ay isang injustice sa ating mga employees, beacuse some of the ABIs will no longer be given in view of the standardization," Gaerlan said.
Some of the Job Levels were even down graded to Job Grades lower based on the released CPCS, according to Gaerlan.
"First of all, we will request for the suspension of the implementation and also appeal or file for motion for reconsideration for the job position classification," Gaerlan said.
"So, I enjoin the members of ACCES na pagtulung tulungan natin ito. We fully support you, we are one with you in convincing, hopefully, the Commission on Good Governance, so that they will reconsider," he added.
Gaerlan said the objective of the CPCS is to level the salaries of CDC employees at par with the private sector.
"But because of the loss of some of the ABIs, effectively yung mga take home nung ating mga manggagawa ay nabawasan. Merong umaanot hanggang four thousand to eight thousand in terms of the ABIs," the CDC top executive said.
"We will fight for your welfare, we will appeal sa GCG at kung kinakailangan ay sa Office of the President dahil yung naging basehan ay isa Executive Order," he added.