MANILA – Government employees in the Philippines urged the Marcos administration to extend the employment of job order and contract service staff, calling the practice an exploitation of workers. The group issued the call to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and the government.

Speaking on behalf of the workers, Public Services Labour Independent Confederation (PSLINK) President Annie Geron revealed the struggle of public employees who are relegated to temporary contracts.

“It’s no different from renewing an endo (end-of-contract) worker in the private sector for another six months or so. Extending the deadline in the engagement of individual contract of service and job order workers does not address the worsening contractualisation in the public sector,” Geron said.

“They will continue to live in fear of losing their jobs and failing to support their families. They will continue to be paid subpar wages and excluded from mandatory benefits and social protection.”

Unlike full-time government employees, job order and contract service workers in the Philippines exercise their right to freedom of association and collective bargaining. Geron said this is because these workers are not considered employed by the government under existing laws.

Contractualisation in the government

Filipino workers have been struggling with contractualisation in the government for years. In fact, the deadline for the engagement of contractual workers has already been extended at least twice.

In 2017, the Civil Service Commission (CSC), along with the Commission on Audit and the Department of Budget and Management, issued a joint circular where it outlined new governing rules regarding the hiring of contractual employees. This was set to end on 31 December 2018.

However, the deadline was extended on 31 December 2020, during the Duterte administration, and again on 31 December 2022, during the start of the Marcos administration. Marcos extended the deadline of engagement of contractual workers again to December 2025.

The repeated extension of the deadline caused the number of contractual employees in the government to balloon to 832,812, based on data from CSC Inventory of Government Human Resources, according to Geron.

PSLINK has called on the Marcos administration to act decisively on the issue, which has been going on for years. “We urge President Marcos to address the widespread contractualisation and informalisation in government and certify as urgent the passage of the Security of Tenure Act for government workers, regularising entitled job orders and contract of service and prohibiting exploitative contractual work arrangements,” Geron said.

The group also urged the government to increase the pay of public employees, as well as their personnel economic relief allowance (PERA) through the passing of two key legislations.

The Public Services Labor Relations Act aims to increase the amount of PERA that government workers receive to PHP 6,000 (about US$105).

Meanwhile, a fairer Salary Standardisation Law ensures living wages for rank-and-file public employees. It also addresses inequities in pay, particularly between those working for national and local government offices.

Recognising the contributions of Filipino workers

In a message released on Labour Day, President Marcos paid tribute to “noble and diligent workers” in the Philippines. He also promised Filipinos a future filled with opportunities, where each worker is valued and empowered.

“On this special day, we recognise the invaluable contributions of our hardworking men and women whose grit and resilience have paved the way for our national development,” Marcos said. “We also pay homage to all the people who raised their voices in the pursuit of social justice, championing the rights of workers and ensuring that their efforts are duly valued and compensated.”

Following his address, Marcos said his administration will continue to support the Filipino working class and uphold the ideals of fairness, dignity, and equity. “We will usher in an era of greater prosperity where opportunities abound, creating a society where every worker is cherished, respected, and empowered to thrive,” Marcos said.