By JEN BAYLON

The Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) said it will not renew the contracts of 45 job order (JO) workers effective this month.

This decision comes as part of an assessment process mandated by Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, aimed at improving the overall performance and efficiency of the city traffic management team.

In a phone patch interview yesterday, BTAO head Patrick Lacson explained that the decision to terminate the contracts was based on several criteria that the workers failed to meet, upholding the standards expected from traffic personnel.

Some of the terminated personnel have been serving at BTAO for several years, he added.

Lacson pointed out that there have been instances where some job order workers were not present at their assigned locations, which further contributed to their non-renewal.

BTAO currently employs a total of 269 personnel, but with the upcoming changes, only 224 will remain after the non-renewal of the contracts.

Despite the reduction in personnel, Lacson expressed confidence in the remaining traffic enforcers’ ability to manage traffic effectively.

Lacson also confirmed that 50 JO workers at BTAO have successfully transitioned into plantilla positions, providing them with greater job security and benefits./JB, WDJ