What about lowly Clark employees?

This is in reaction to the article “GOCC’s 3-yr P77-B take is heaven to P-Noy” (Second Front Page, 6/4/13).

As an employee of a government-owned and -controlled corporation (GOCC) under the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, I feel a bit pleased that our company’s contribution to the treasury is now being recognized by the national government. But this part of the article caught my attention: “When he assumed office in June 2010, Mr. Aquino trained his guns on executives of GOCCs enjoying excessive perks. Promptly, Congress inquired into this and crafted legislation to reform the government corporation.”

I believe the legislation referred to is Republic Act No. 10149 (An Act to Promote Financial Viability and Fiscal Discipline in Government-Owned And -Controlled Corporations and to Strengthen the Role of the State in its Governance and Management to make them More Responsive to the Needs of Public Interest and For Other Purposes). The article made me realize that the law is targeted at highly privileged executives, not ordinary GOCC employees. Regrettably, the executives in our organization are invoking the law to oppose the employee union’s clamor for better salaries and wages. I pray that Malacañang will take into account not only the dividends going to government coffers but, more importantly, also the plight of the employees who help generate dividends. After all, aren’t people more important than money?

The last paragraph of the article stated: “He (P-Noy) praised GOCC Chair Cesar Villanueva and other officials for undertaking reforms such as the Fit and Proper Rule to ensure that the executives are fit and qualified for their jobs.” This sparked my interest in the rule, and I found out that it is embodied in GCG Memorandum Circular No. 2012-05, which prescribes standards of integrity and competence among officers of every GOCC (president, vice president, corporate secretary, chief financial officer, etc.). But what intrigued me more about this rule is the equally important but oftentimes ignored provision [Sec 6.2 (j)] compelling officers with derogatory records on official file of government agencies (such as the Office of the Ombudsman, Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation) to be temporarily disqualified from holding office until they have cleared themselves or after the lapse of five years from the time of the complaint.

I wish to call the attention of Chair Villanueva to please notify our GOCC to actively implement this rule and to consciously observe the particular provision mentioned herein as this will have an enormous positive impact on our organization. I often hear from legislators that our country already has plenty of good laws and what is needed is merely to implement these. I hope RA 10149 and its implementing rules and regulations will not be among these unimplemented laws.

—ROMMEL C. NARCISO,

employee,

Clark Development Corp.,

rommelnarciso@gmail.com