DSWD hit for not hiring regular employees

SEN. Raffy Tulfo yesterday called on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to hire plantilla position employees after learning that it has 6,038 job order and casual employees who have been working in the department for more than a decade already.

Tulfo said he also called the DSWD’s attention on the issue last year, but his plea has not been acted upon.

He said the DSWD should set an example before they urge the private sector to follow the law against contractual employees.

“Bago tayo magmando sa private institution na sumunod sa bawal na contractual, mauna muna tayo sa gobyerno. Ang nakakahiya dito, ang DSWD, by the thousands, nakakaawa naman ang social workers natin, napakahirap ng trabaho hindi naman madali yan (Before we tell the private sector to follow the law against contractualization, let the government show that we are following the law. DSWD should be ashamed because thousands of its employees are contractual. I pity the social workers because their job is not easy),” Tulfo said during the briefing on the 2025 budget request of the DSWD.

The senator said many of the DSWD’s contractual and job order employees have retired without receiving benefits since they are not regular employees.

“Ang importante sa akin, nakapag-trabaho na ng dekada, napakahabang panahon, and yet contractual pa rin. Siyempre, tuwing renewal ng kanilang contract, isa sila sa matatanggal… Dapat meron silang security of tenure, dapat tuloy-tuloy ang trabaho (My concern is that they have been working for decades and yet, they remain as contractual employees. They are candidates for removal each time they renew their contracts. They should have security of tenure),” Tulfo said.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian told senators that the Department of Budget and Management has not been acting on their request to hire regular plantilla position employees.

Tulfo said the Senate will invite DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman in the next hearing to explain the issue.