By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental provincial government revealed they will directly hire job order casual employees after Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson ordered the cancellation of bidding for placement agencies, which was supposedly to take place yesterday. According to provincial administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, direct hiring will cut costs and help manage the budget.
The province currently spends P90 million annually for 394 job orders, who are mostly comprised of utility workers at district hospitals.
Diaz noted, their classification will be equivalent to a Salary Grade II, where they are paid P11,065 a month and are eligible for bonuses.
“Job orders do not receive benefits like bonuses,” he explained.
In terms of the canceled bidding process, the provincial official said contractors will be refunded for expenses incurred for bidding documents.
Job order contracts were supposed to end last December but they were given a three-month extension as the province made an emergency purchase./DGB, WD