THE Provincial Board of Benguet is requesting immediate recommendation and action over issues of unpaid salaries and wages of newly hired working personnel in the Provincial Board.
Members of the board appealed for the Provincial Human Resource Management and Development Office (PHRMDO) to consider finding immediate solutions after a week's wage was removed from the pay slips of hired casual employees of some officials.
The concern was earlier raised after eight of the board members' staffs reportedly received less of their supposed take-home pay last July.
During Monday's council session, Provincial Human Resource Officer Rosaline Elayda had to update body relative to the status of appointments, its effectivity, salaries, and other benefits of casual employees.
Elayda explained the appointment of the employees was approved only on July 8, a week after the official office of the Provincial Board members on July 1.
The provincial HR officer added the official assignment of appointments was only approved after the new employees submitted their requirements on July 1.
In her defense, Elayda said the application of the revised omnibus rules and on appointments and other personnel actions of the Civil Service Commission has to apply for casual employees, particularly Rule 4 Sections 4 and 5.
Section 4 states "no official or employee shall be required to assume duty without being furnished with a copy of his appointment," while section 5 adds "the services rendered by any person who was required to assume duties and responsibilities of any position without any appointment without having been issued by the appointing authority shall not be credited or recognized by the Commission."
"We just followed the process, the PHRMDO should not be blamed for this issue. We just did what our job requires us to do,” said Elayda, adding their office has already forwarded the Report on Appointment of the CSC in July 12.
However, the council argued the negligence still came from the PHRMDO office as they only allowed the casual employees to submit their requirements on July 1 despite their efforts to complete them as early as June.
Board member Florencio Bentrez meanwhile said the problem started from PHRMDO and not from the involved employees.
“Haan tayo nga parigatan ti umili, haan tayo nga parigatan ti tattao,” Bentrez emphasized.
“In the first hand, isn’t it the PHRMDO who should ensure proper appointments of the employees of the province?” he added stating the neglect should be reconsidered for humanitarian reasons as the employees were required to already report exactly July 1.
On the other hand Committee on Personnel Administration chair Juan Nazarro Jr. backed Bentrez’ observation.
“They [PHRMDO] were negligent, so we should let them find the solution for this issue,” Nazarro said.
As a result, the Provincial Board has requested the PHRMDO to make a formal request to the CSC if altercations and changes are still possible for the submitted report as the supposed deadline was only scheduled until August 15.