Cebu City gov’t employees face uncertainty over Rama’s ‘rightsizing’ plan

A glimpse at the facade of the Cebu City Hall. | CDN Digital file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Engel Bert has been working as a street sweeper under the Department of Public Services (DPS) in Cebu City for five years now.

The Job Order employee proudly shared with CDN Digital that he was never absent from his work at the Cebu City Hall.

Because of his good work performance, Engel Bert, who asked not to divulge his full name, expressed hope that he would still be given a contract renewal this 2024.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he intends to start this year the implementation of his rightsizing plans.

Rama said he intends to cut to only 3, 000 by 2025, the over 9, 000 employees that City Hall now has.

This means that about 6, 000 employees at the Cebu City Hall may be terminated from work for non-performance while others would no longer be given contract renewals.  This would include regular and JOs and casual employees.

“Depende ra gyud sa performance. Dili mataktak basta dili tig absent, dili sige og ka late, dili tapulan ug hugawan,” Engel Bert said.

The street sweeper promised to continue to render excellent service to the Cebu City government in order keep his job.

Engle Bert said he would consider himself as lucky if given a contract renewal because this would also allow him to support the needs of his family, especially his three children who are still in school.

He also expressed hope that he would be given a chance to transition from being a JO to becoming a casual or regular employee.

However, Engle Bert said that he was also prepared to move forward and look for another employment should he be including in the list of those who would no longer be renewed for work.

Just like Engle Bert, a government driver said that he too was anxiously while waiting for the outcome of their ongoing performance evaluation.

“Naay kaguol, naay kalipay pero labaw ang kaguol samot sa sweldo nga alanganin kaayo,” he said.

The driver, who asked not to be named, said that he was now beginning to prepare himself for whatever the future may bring.

He said that he fully understands that there was nothing that he could do in the event that he would no longer be given a contract renewal because of the nature of his employment as a JO.

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