Tuesday, March 3, 2020

The Plantilla and Budgetary Problems

So there's that.

After a tiresome two (2) years with the bureau, I am now tied with a Renewable Energy Company in the Philippines. I don't know if it's the biggest player right now but one thing's for sure; the owner is well known.

For the first time after a long time, I am at the other end of the spectrum. I am the one requesting and talking with the govoff and I am not surprised by how slow and painful it can be. (But man, the people at LMB Central are a nice bunch so this is no complaint for them.) Some officials will take 15 minutes or more just to answer an inquiry or call you from your seat even when they aren't doing anything and they are just on their phones. Some even sarcastically answers your questions and it's really cringe to watch all of these. I also saw some people JUST PLAYING ON THEIR PHONES while they have people waiting for them in lines. But, can't complain right? These are the people who are lucky enough to grab the opportunity and be tenured.

But I'll try not to go far. Back when I was working for the Bureau, some of these people just bossed around contractual employees and reaped off their accomplishments and claimed it as theirs. My reimbursements aren't even paid and I am the one who shoulders all of my fieldwork. It's a good thing that my boss back then from the CENRO was a very considerate man. He gave us stipends to spend on our fieldwork but it didn't last long because he was replaced.

Right now, two months in after I bid my adieu, I still haven't received my reimbursements. Back then, they told me that it will be considered as an Accounts Payable but now, they are claiming that they will not pay it because THEY TOLD ME BACK THEN (a lie, btw) THAT WE HAVE NO BUDGET for that. 

They don't have the budget to pay people their reimbursements for the work they've done for the government and yet they can advance the money for their relocation allowance (P60,000/personnel btw) for their plantillas no problem (they gave it to them December 2019 and hey, hey, hey, these people are still staying in their current office. HOW ABOUT RETURNING THE MONEY THEN?)

I wish this silly tenure be removed from the government. These people are getting lax and they still are receiving a LOT of bonuses that I think they do not deserve. Also, how can a clerk received almost P100,000 bonus during the Christmas Holidays? This still blows my mind.