State workers to protest streamlining of govt agencies

MANILA, Philippines - Government workers from all over the country are gearing up for a concerted mass action next week to protest the streamlining of various agencies as a result of the global economic crisis. Ferdinand Gaite, president of the Confederation for the Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage), said they would hold the mass action to “protect our jobs." "This will be snowballing and we are looking to gather more and more government workers united to do whatever it takes to protect our jobs," Gaite said in a news briefing Wednesday. Gaite said at least 1,000 government workers would gather on February 13 in Mendiola to protest the implementation of Executive Order 366, which directs a strategic review of the operations and organizations of the executive branch. Gaite said the implementation of EO 366 would slash more than 30 percent of the entire government workforce, which translates to 450,000 jobs. The group said government agencies that would be affected by the order include the National Food Authority, Bureau of Customs, National Parks Development Authority, Intramuros Administration, Philippine Ports Authority, National Housing Authority, Bureau of Animal Industry, National Meat Inspection Service, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Bureau of Plants Industry, Metro Manila Development Authority, Sandiganbayan, Court of Appeals, and the Departments of Agriculture, Labor and Employment, Social Welfare and Development and Tourism. Gaite also said they are in close coordination with their regional chapters for similar protest actions in the provinces, including Regions V (Bicol), VI (Western Visayas), and VIII (Eastern Visayas). "There will be hundreds more in the regional mass actions," he said. - GMANews.TV