PCOO exec to COA: More COS workers hired for added projects

An official of the Presidential Communications Operations Office on Sunday admitted to hiring more contract of service (COS) employees because of additional projects in relation to vaccination and for the National ID system.

State auditors had questioned PCOO's spending of over P70 million for the hiring 375 contractual personnel in 2020.

It said in its audit report that PCOO did not have a written policy in availing COS services. 

"Umabot ng ganoong number dahil dumami ang projects ng production at creatives. Nag-take-in ng programs ng ibang ahensya na nangailangan ng additional workforce. Ito po yung COVID response pagkatapos ng vaccination drive. Kailangan ng communications para sa registration ng national ID," said PCOO Assistant Secretary Kris Alban over "Dobol B TV."

(It reached this number because our projects increased. We took in some programs of other agencies that needed additional workforce for COVID response including the vaccination drive. Also more workers are needed in the registration for the National ID.)

But Alban clarified that after some projects had ended, the number of COS workers has decreased from 375 to 305.

To avoid ghost employees, Alban said the PCCO added means of verification to record the output of these contractual workers.

Alban also pointed out that the they are compliant with rules of Commission on Audit (COA) and the Department of the Budget and Management (DBM) in hiring contractual workers.

Moreover, Alban said they are also seeking plantilla items from the DBM to regularize COS workers. 

Currently, the PCOO official said, the DBM approved 34 plantilla items for regularization of these PCOO contractual workers. —LBG, GMA News