EDITORIAL - A need to change the system

It has been the practice of a new mayor or governor to hire people who have supported him throughout his political campaign, from the filing of his certificate of candidacy to the day of the election.

As the new local chief executives prepare to take office, massive cleanup of personnel will be expected in local government units across the country. First to go are job order employees and those with co-terminus positions.

Even barangay workers are not spared. Some of the present Barangay Health Workers, Clean and Green personnel and garbage collectors are expected to be replaced with personnel hired by the new administration.

In Mandaue, the chief of the City Hall’s Human Resource Management Office reminded the city’s 3,700 casual workers that their appointment will end on June 30 unless they received order to return to work.

In Lapu-Lapu, nearly 2,000 JO employees will receive financial incentives from the city government. Outgoing Mayor Paz Radaza, who will be going to Congress, vowed that they will have cash bonuses as they leave their jobs.

However, what is sad is the fact that many of the outgoing employees have been doing their job well. These are the workers who should be allowed to continue serving their offices when the next administration takes over.

Their only fault is that they never have security of tenure that would have protected them from being laid off by the new administration. Despite being productive and useful, they need to be replaced since they have become political casualties.

Many are hoping for a move to change this system. That is because there is really a need for new local chief executives to consider retaining those JO and casual employees who have performed well.