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DBM chief says ‘rightsizing’ not automatic personnel reduction


Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Thursday said that the administration’s plan to rightsize the bureaucracy does not automatically mean a reduction in the number of personnel in government agencies.

In a statement, the Budget chief said that unlike downsizing, which automatically means reduction in the number of personnel, rightsizing may also mean strengthening the requirements of an agency.

“'Yung rightsizing po, possible po na mayroong mga opisina na palakasin, i-strengthen, bigyan ng mas malaking mandato and then possible din po na madagdagan ng tao at ng budget,” Pangandaman said.

(In rightsizing, it is possible that there could be some offices which would be strengthened, be given a bigger mandate and then a possible increase in personnel and budget.)

On Wednesday, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) secretary said it is crafting a proposed measure asking Congress to give President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the authority to rightsize the government in order to save funds. 

Pangandaman earlier said that the DBM will be checking 187 agencies, departments, offices, and bureaus, including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs)—which employ an estimated two million personnel—for redundant or overlapping functions.

The Budget chief said that the DBM has not yet identified agencies which would be rightsized.

“Yung nilalatag po namin ngayon na batas is to give the President the power to study po the bureaucracy and review the mandate and functions of existing agencies. Kapag nabigyan ang ehekutibo ng powers po, we'll have a timeline kung ano 'yung mga opisina na pwedeng matanggal, pagsamahin at saka pwede pong i-create,” she said.

(What we are preparing now is a law to give the President the power to study the bureaucracy and review the mandate and functions of existing agencies. Once the executive is given powers, we’ll have a timeline of what offices could be removed or merged or created.)

Pangandaman cited the strengthening of education and health sectors.

“Ang posible po d'yan, on top of mind po, well, based po sa aming draft and initial study, the education sector, pwede po natin i-upsize. Ang medical sector po, pwede po rin nating i-upsize 'yun,” she said.

(It’s possible, on top of mind, based on our draft and initial study, that the education sector could be upsized. The medical sector could also be upsized.)

The Budget chief added that government personnel who would be displaced may be transferred to “upsized” agencies.

“Pwede po nating ilagay sa isang pool 'yung possible na matatanggalan ng trabaho dahil napaliit ang kanilang opisina. So pwede po silang i-retool, i-train po sila and then maybe we can put them in another agency kung saan po pina-upsize or ini-strengthen natin.”

(Those who would be displaced from their works because their offices were reduced could be included in a pool wherein they could be retooled, retrained and maybe we can put them in another agency which was upsized or strengthened.)

Pangandaman said that the President has already instructed the Cabinet to look into their respective departments for possible rightsizing and also for positions which have been rendered redundant by digitalization efforts.  

"Si Presidente po, during our first Cabinet Meeting, nagbigay na po siya ng instruction sa lahat ng Cabinet members to already look into their specific departments kung ano ang pwedeng i-streamline. Of course kasama dito ang digitalization. Baka maraming proseso and ma-streamline dito through digital means,"  she said.

(The President, during our first Cabinet meeting, gave an instruction to all Cabinet members to already look into their specific departments to see what could be streamlined. Of course, this includes digitalization. There could be a lot of processes that could be streamlined through digital means.) — BM, GMA News

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