Olongapo SubicBay BatangGapo Newscenter

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

77 workers from Bataan told to walk

DINALUPIHAN, Bataan - Workers from Bataan at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority complained of being laid off allegedly without due process after the appointment papers of 77 of them were not renewed on June 30 this year.

The concerned employees, who came from the SBMA Seaport and Law Enforcement departments, said there was no basis for their walking papers or for their services not to be renewed. "The only reason we are aware of is [that] we were from Dinalupihan," they explained.

The employees asked not to be identified in the hope that SBMA management would reconsider its decision and rehire them. Some have been with the SBMA for more than three years; some, seven years.

They told Mayor Joel Payumo of Dinalupihan that right after they were informed of the nonrenewal of their employment contracts, they learned that replacements were ready to take over their positions the following day.

Some of the workers said they were even required to present a clearance or a recommendation from Gov. Enrique Garcia of Bataan before the renewal of their appointments, which they complied with although this proved useless.

"Appointing authorities disregarded the recommendation of our governor and we were terminated," they said.

Payumo said he would look into the matter and ask SBMA officials to observe due process before terminating the services of workers. "Why not initially reprimand the employees instead of outright dismissal if they committed some minor violation?" Payumo said.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said there was no truth to the complaints of the workers that their contracts are terminated because they were from Dinalupihan or Bataan.

"As long as they possess the necessary criteria for employment, they have no case and their performance was satisfactory, they do not have to worry about being terminated or not being rehired," Arreza said.

He said that the SMBA is apolitical and does not hire employees on the basis of residence, or whether they are from Olongapo City or Bataan or any other place. What is important is that they comply with requirements, explained Arreza.

Lolita Mallari, SBMA Human Resources Management Officer, said the Authority had terminated the employment contracts of 129 contractual workers, 77 coming from Bataan, on June 30.

She said endorsements from anybody do not guarantee employment.

Records show that in May 2006 the SBMA had in its employ 2,577 workers. Of this number 804 are from Bataan, 648 from Olongapo City, 295 from Zambales and 830 from other areas.

Mallari said the number of workers does not include those employed at the Free Port Services Corp., a subsidiary of the SBMA. Others are employed by private enterprises in the former American naval base.

Ernie B. Esconde - ABS CBN

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