DBM rules out laying off gov’t workers amid COVID-19 pandemic

The government will not reduce the number of its workforce in 2021 amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said Tuesday.

“Sapat po ang budget natin para diyan sa mga kawani ng gobyerno despite the situation now,” Avisado said in a Palace briefing when asked if the government is looking at the possibility of laying off workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Kailangan lang po na magtrabaho nang mabuti, gawin ang kanilang mandato, wala po silang dapat ipag-alala. Sapat po ang inilagay nating pondo,” he added.

In addition, Avisado said that there are standby funds for hiring of contractual workers in government service if need be.

“Meron po tayong pondo na magagamit para diyan kung kinakailangan,” Avisado added.

The Department of Budget and Management has submitted the proposed P4.506 trillion budget for 2021 to Congress last week.

The Department of Education got the lion’s share of the proposed national budget with P734 billion, followed by the Department of Public Works and Highways with P667.3 billion.

Ranking a far third is the Department of Interior and Local Government with P246 billion, followed by the Defense department with P209 billion, and the Health department with P203 billion.

Of the P203 billion budget for the Health department, the state insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) got the highest amount of allocation at P71 billion.—AOL, GMA News