60 Baciwa workers to get separation benefits

BACOLOD City – The 60 employees of Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) who were declared redundant along with their positions will receive appropriate separation benefits as government workers under existing laws, board officials have said.

“Redundant means the abolition of a position that is no longer needed. Dismissal is an effect of redundancy,” Baciwa Board Chairman Lorendo Dilag said in a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon.

Resolution 172, passed by the board on Dec. 23, 2020, said employees and their respective positions were declared as such effective the last working hour of December 31, 2020 based on the reorganization that resulted from the joint venture agreement between Baciwa and PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp.

Dilag, together with Directors Lawrence Villanueva, Mona Dia Jardin, and Rebecca Filasol, and Acting General Manager Michael Soliva explained the stand of the board and the management after employees were denied entry into the Baciwa compound on Monday.

Director Mona Dia Jardin, Board Secretary, said after the joint venture took effect on November 13, when PrimeWater took over the operations and management of the water district, Baciwa only had to retain employees tasked to monitor the private firm’s compliance with the agreement.

She said Baciwa reduced its personnel from about 500 to only 23 for monitoring purposes. Other employees were absorbed by PrimeWater while others opted for early retirement.

The 60 employees, whose functions fall under operations and management, had been given the option to either re-apply with PrimeWater or avail of the early retirement incentive program, but they refused to choose between the two, as they preferred to remain as Baciwa employees.

Dilag said the board has a legal basis in declaring the employees and their positions redundant.

“The action of the Board of Directors is legal. It is supported by the opinions of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC). It was made after giving the employees several notices for their explanation, but sad to say, no explanation was ever submitted,” he added.

Jardin said the 60 employees will receive their separation pay and terminal leave claims.

According to Resolution 172, “(t)hese employees, if entitled thereto, shall be paid the appropriate separation pay and retirement, and other benefits under existing laws provided that the application for clearance has been filed by said employees.”

Soliva said the 60 employees can only go to the Baciwa office to turn over their accountabilities and process their clearances, but not to report for work since they have been officially terminated.

Meanwhile, the Baciwa Employees Union (BEU) called the action of the board illegal, inappropriate, and immoral.

The BEU said the 60 employees believe that the terms of their employment were protected under the Civil Service Commission.

It added that while said employees “acknowledge that the Board is the policy-making body, it is our conviction that it does not possess the authority to dictate our terms of employment, which are subject to and protected by the Civil Service”. (PNA)