Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian assured the members of the Senate Committee on Finance that the agency will continue pushing for more plantilla positions for the job security of its employees, especially those who are under contracts of service (COS) and job orders (JOs) and have been with the Department for a long time.

“We do extend assistance to them regularly. But what we will do is we will keep on lobbying. Sinubmit na namin ‘yan and every time nag pro-propose kami ng budget, nilalagyan talaga namin ng allocation. We’ll keep on pushing for more plantilla positions,” DSWD Secretary Gatchalian said in response to the query of the members of the Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Senator Imee Marcos, on the issue of employee regularization during the agency’s 2025 budget deliberation on Monday (September 16),

According to the DSWD chief, the agency considered the length of service of its personnel under COS and JO positions in the submitted plan.

“Madam Chair, parehas po kami ng pananalig ni Senator Raffy Tulfo. Naniniwala ako kasi meron po silang institutional knowledge, nagsakripisyo po talaga. We have submitted to DBM and to the committee also a three-year plan sana to migrate all of them to regular positions… yung sinubmit po namin madam chair na plan looks into tenure yung mga pinakamatagal muna na social worker ang mauuna,” the DSWD chief pointed out.

Secretary Gatchalian said the DSWD is embarking on the gradual transition of COS and JOs into more stable positions, citing the migration of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) personnel to contractual employees.

This update was also mentioned by the DSWD chief during the House deliberation on the DSWD’s proposed budget for 2025 last August 21.

“Every budget season we propose a higher number for regularization of our employees. But I do understand the DBM’s position on tight fiscal space. Pero I just want to point out that this year we have managed, hindi man regular, around 4,000 plus of our 4Ps links have been converted to contractual,” Secretary Gatchalian emphasized.

The DSWD chief said these 4Ps contractual employees are now entitled to statutory incentives and benefits that are similar to those occupying regular positions. #

Tagalog Version

Regularisasyon ng COS, JOs sa ahensya, patuloy na isusulong ng DSWD – Sec Gatchalian

Tiniyak ni Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian sa Senate Committee on Finance na patuloy na isinusulong ng ahensya ang pagkakaroon ng mas marami pang plantilla position para na rin sa kapakanan ng mga empleyado nito.

Partikular na tinukoy dito ang mga mga empleyadong nasa ilalim ng contracts of service (COS) , job orders (JOs) at mga matagal ng nagtatrabaho sa DSWD.

“We do extend assistance to them regularly. But what we will do is we will keep on lobbying. Sinubmit na namin ‘yan and every time nag pro-propose kami ng budget, nilalagyan talaga namin ng allocation. We’ll keep on pushing for more plantilla positions,”sabi ni DSWD Secretary Gatchalian, bilang tugon sa tanong nga mga myembro ng Senate Finance Committee, na pinamumunuan ni Senator Imee Marcos, kaugnay ng isyu ng employee regularization.

Kabilang anya sa binibigyang konsiderasyon dito ay ang haba ng serbisyo ng isang empleyado sa ilalim ng COS at JO positions.

“Madam Chair, parehas po kami ng pananalig ni Senator Raffy Tulfo. Naniniwala ako kasi meron po silang institutional knowledge, nagsakripisyo po talaga. We have submitted to DBM and to the committee also a three-year plan sana to migrate all of them to regular positions… yung sinubmit po namin madam chair na plan looks into tenure yung mga pinakamatagal muna na social worker ang mauuna,” dagdag pa ng DSWD chief.

Ayon pa kay Secretary Gatchalian, sisimulan ng ahensya sa gradual transition ang mga COS at JO personnel para mailagay ito sa mas stable position, gaya halimbawa ng ginawa sa Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) personnel, na karamihan ay mga contractual employees.

Ang isyu ng regularization ay kabilang din sa binanggit ng DSWD chief sa ginanap na budget hearing noong August 21.

“Every budget season we propose a higher number for regularization of our employees. But I do understand the DBM’s position on tight fiscal space. Pero I just want to point out that this year we have managed, hindi man regular, around 4,000 plus of our 4Ps links have been converted to contractual,” dagdag pa ni Secretary Gatchalian.

Samantala, binanggit na rin ng DSWD chief na ang mga 4Ps contractual employees ay nakakakuha na ng statutory incentives at benefits na kapareho ng mga nasa regular positions. #