On the second reading, the House of Representatives approved a bill that would give government employees and officers with valid appointments to new positions preferential treatment in the implementation of government reorganization.
House Bill 7027, which seeks to amend Section 4 of Republic Act No. 6656, or an Act to Protect the Security of Tenure of Civil Service Officers and Employees in the Implementation of Government Reorganization, was approved by voice vote during the plenary session on Monday.
According to the proposed amendment, appointive officers and employees with valid appointments will be given preference for appointment to new positions in the approved staffing pattern of comparable rank to their previous position or the next higher-rank position.
In addition, if there are insufficient comparable positions or positions next higher in rank, they will be given preference for appointment to positions next lower in rank.
Bohol Representative Kristine Alexie Tutor, the sponsor of the proposed measure, says the government should be able to retain people who have served as appointive officials and as employees with valid appointments because they are already familiar with government policies, operations, and procedures.
She said that the appointive officials and employees who do not have a permanent appointment are not covered by the preference for appointment to new positions in the new approved staffing pattern under current law and regulations on government reorganization.
She went on to say that "hundreds of thousands of contract of service and job order (JO) employees are awaiting an appointment to plantilla positions."
