Contracts of govt workers ending on June 30 will be extended, Mendoza says

Government employees whose contracts are set to end on June 30 — outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s last day — are expected to be extended by incoming President-elect Benigno Aquino III. This was disclosed by outgoing Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza on Tuesday. Incoming Executive Secretary Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa will issue on Wednesday an administrative order (AO) covering employees who will stay on a "holdover capacity," Mendoza said in an ambush interview. "(The) details will be specified in the AO," Mendoza added. However, he failed to disclose how many contractual workers will be affected. But he stressed at the same time that service and operations will continue, especially those involving frontline services. The administrative order is "welcome," Mendoza said, adding it would erase apprehensions among government workers. There are 50,000 contractual rank and file government employees. About 4,300 are managerial and executive positions that are expected to be vacated. It was announced earlier that 97 contractual workers in the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) will be extended by two months to ensure the continuity of service. - RJAB Jr./RSJ, GMANews.TV