Palace asks Aquino to decide on fate of 50K govt workers before June 30

Malacañang is leaving to the incoming administration the fate of some 50,000 government employees, including co-terminus and contractual workers, whose terms will end on June 30. The Presidential Management Staff (PMS) asked the camp of President-elect Benigno Simeon Aquino III to issue the appropriate directive before that date. "Wala silang sagot pero napag-usapan na namin. We are hoping mabigyan tayo ng directive bago mag-June 30 (Aquino's camp has not given us a response. We are hoping they will do so before June 30)," outgoing PMS head Elena Bautista-Horn said in an interview on dzBB radio early Thursday morning. Bautista-Horn also admitted that criticisms of a midnight deal forced them to inform the incoming administration about the 50,000 workers. "Madali lang i-renew ang contracts ng nakararami, pero minarapat namin ipaalam sa kanila. Maraming issue at allegation ng midnight appointment and midnight deal (It would have been easy for us to renew their contracts but we chose to inform the next administration about this, especially since there are allegations of midnight appointments and midnight deals)," she said. She said the 50,000 positions include rank-and-file, co-terminus and contractual workers, whose contracts are renewed every six months. Bautista-Horn said that of the 4,301 executive and managerial positions, 4,244 are considered vacated as the officials in those posts have retired, resigned to run in the May 10 elections, or resigned. She said there are only 67 co-terminus managerial officials left in the government, including Cabinet members, undersecretaries and assistant secretaries. Work is ongoing between the outgoing Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration and incoming Aquino administration to ensure a smooth transition by June 30. [See: Arroyo, Aquino transition teams hold another meeting on Wednesday] — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV