A RANKING official of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) rejected Wednesday a newspaper report last week detailing alleged massive job cuts in the agency.
The agency’s Rationalization Plan, which seeks to streamline NBI operations, was approved by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on June 26.
In a letter to the Department of Justice, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the NBI has two months from the issuance of the indicative staffing pattern to map out its existing positions.
"The remaining positions that could no longer be accommodated in said ISP would be abolished if vacant or marked co-terminus with the incumbent (CTI) if filled; to be abolished once vacated by the present incumbent,” the document read.
But Rojas clarified that personnel covered by the rationalization will get bigger incentives if they retire early, be assigned to other agencies under the DOJ, or stay in the NBI until the position is vacated when they retire, transfer or leave the post.
He said personnel may be reassigned to other divisions of the NBI where they may be needed without diminution of salaries or benefits.
“There are no layoffs,” said Rojas.
The DBM asked the NBI to maintain 1,831 regular positions, quite lower than the NBI’s proposal of 2,111 positions.
This in line with the NBI’s goals of focusing on its main functions of providing quality investigative and forensic services, prioritizing efficiency by eliminating overlaps and duplication, and ensuring implementation of programs and projects within allowable resources.
The NBI will still get funds for the hiring of casual employees but only for 55 personnel who are involved in the processing and issuance of NBI clearance and upkeep of criminal and other information for the use of prosecuting and law enforcement agencies.
Some 21,000 applications for NBI clearance are being received by the agency daily.
Savings to be generated by the rationalization plan would be realigned to the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) to augment funds for services such as utility/janitorial, building and grounds maintenance, security, messengerial, and transportation/mobility.
Since 2011, the NBI has hired a total of almost 70 new agents and investigators and is opening a last batch for recruits for this year.
NBI has a budget of P910.82 million this year, up 7.5 percent from P842.56 million in 2012. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)