RIYADH, 25 October 2004 — An official of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said that its non-diplomatic staff have not been sacked as reported.
“Such staff are still needed and their services would only be terminated if Administrative Order (AO) 244 is finally implemented in January 2005,” according to lawyer Alberto Abalayan, the Philippine labor attaché in the Central Region.
He said that the three locally hired staff in his office have not been given marching orders and still working there so that the concern regarding the delivery of immediate services to distressed Filipinos like domestic helpers is unjustified.
Labor Attaché Manuel “Dodong” Roldan, who has been quoted to have announced the sacking of 40 non-diplomatic staff in the four Labor offices in the Kingdom, could not be contacted for comment as of press time.
Ambassador Bahnarim A. Guinomla told Arab News that he’s not been officially informed about AO 244, adding that the Labor offices are attached agencies of the embassy but they are really under the DOLE.
“’Sacking’ in this instance is not the proper term but ‘non-renewal of contract’ because the non-diplomatic staff are contractual,” Guinomla said, adding that the decision as far as their contracts are concerned is not to renew.
The sacking of the non-diplomatic personnel should not be a problem because they will be replaced by regular DOLE staff from the home office, said Abalayan.
“Regular DOLE staff in the home office will take over to give them wider exposure and enhance their knowledge about OFWs abroad. There would also be more accountability in rendering services to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs),” Attaché Abalayan said.
POLO staff affected by AO 244 have expressed disappointment over the decision, considering that they receive lower compensation packages than the DOLE staff who would replace them.
“They will have higher salaries and perks such as free air ticket to Manila and Riyadh. This does not make sense considering that the Philippines is presently in financial crisis,” they said, requesting anonymity.