Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman today, July 14, 2022, clarified that rightsizing does not automatically mean reduction in the number of personnel in government agencies.
In an interview at On the Spot over DZMM Teleradyo, the Budget Chief said that compared to 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,” Secretary Pangandaman explained.
When asked what agencies may undergo strengthening, she stated that there are no definite identified agencies.
“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.
Secretary 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,” Sec. Pangandaman said.
She added that government personnel who would be displaced may be transferred to these “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.”
According to the DBM Secretary, 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," Secretary Pangandaman said.
She further clarified that the 2 million mentioned was not the actual job cuts but rather the total number government employees and the 5 percent mentioned is not a target but an example to highlight a point.
“Ang 2 million po ay ang population po, ang tinatawag nating ‘universe’ ng lahat ng government employees. Ito po ang lahat ng posisyon sa gobyerno. 'Yung 5 percent naman po is just an example. Assuming po 5 percent of the two million will be reduced, so that's 14-billion worth of savings for our personnel services,” the Budget Chief said.
“And the said savings can be allocated to other priority programs and projects of the government like health care, agri support, infra and others,” Sec. Pangandaman added.
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