Palace workers uncertain about job security as new president takes over

On the day the Philippines 15th President formally took office, housekeeping and maintenance personnel in Malacañang — the president’s official residence — remain uncertain of their employment. Employees under the Internal House Affairs Office (IHAO), which include chefs and cooks, have yet to receive word that the administration of President Benigno Aquino III will retain their positions. Staff under the IHAO are considered co-terminus with ex-president and current Pampanga congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo whose term ended on the afternoon of June 30. Earlier, former executive secretary Leandro Mendoza said that the current executive secretary Paquito "Jojo" Ochoa will issue an order that will extend the terms of contractual employees. But Remedios Galos, who worked at housekeeping since Arroyo took office in 2001, remains uncertain. “Wala pa po siyang sinasabi sa amin (We have received no word from them yet)," Galos told reporters Wednesday morning, referring to Aquino. Galos is one of the Malacanang employees who witnessed the formal turnover of the administration at the Palace’s main lobby where Aquino fetched President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. [See: Aquino fetches Arroyo in Malacañang] Most of the Palace staff cried while others, including Galos, were teary-eyed when they bid the outgoing President goodbye. Asked what she felt, Galos said Mrs. Arroyo’s departure made her despondent. Her sadness is not helped by the uncertainty of her future. “Sana po nakikiusap kami, marami pong umaasa sa amin, na wag niya kaming tanggalin dito sa Palasyo," she said. (We are appealing to them, since a lot of people are depending on us, to allow us to keep our jobs.) She said she still needs to send her two young children, aged 12 and 8, to school. She has six children. “Yun lang po ang gusto ko na mapatapos sa pag-aaral yung dalawang anak," Galos said. (My only wish is to have my two young children finish their schooling.) Despite uncertainty, Palace employees chose to focus on their tasks at hand, cleaning the Malacañang compound and making preparations to facilitate the new government’s transition. After the inauguration, Aquino will return to Malacanang for the oath taking of his Cabinet members and lunch. There will also be a Cabinet meeting later in the afternoon. Palace employees have earlier issued an appeal to the incoming administration to allow them to keep their jobs. [See: Retain us, Palace workers appeal to Noynoy] Presidential Management Staff (PMS) director general Elena Bautista-Horn earlier expressed hope that the incoming Aquino administration will decide against replacing the over 100 affected workers. “Pati yung mga VIPs, alam nila kung sino. ‘Yun siguro yung magandang maipamamana kapag sila pa rin ang nanilbihan, saka they're very professional, (They know who the VIPs are. This is perhaps one of the advantages if they are allowed to continue serving, apart from their professionalism)," she said. Besides the IHAO, over 4,000 positions at the management and executive levels are likewise expected to be vacated when Arroyo’s term ends on June 30. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV