P188-M allotted for IRRI layoffs

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) will spend P188 million to effect the retrenchment of 173 more employees this year.

The retrenchment fund includes the payout corresponding to accumulated retirement and unused vacation and sick leave credits of those to be laid off by Sept. 30.

Of the 173 employees, 165 are nationally recruited staffers (NRS) in Los Baños and eight in Thailand.

The number of internationally recruited staff members, including scientists, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, will also drop from 150 to 135 under the retrenchment process completed until end-2003. — Rudy A. Fernandez