The Civil Service Commission (CSC) recently upheld the dismissal of a government employee who performed poorly and still failed to improve despite a warning.
A permanent employee in a water district was earlier dropped from the rolls for poor performance. Within the rating period, he displayed a classic case of incompetence and incorrigibility. He did not do his regular duties and responsibilities; he failed to observe existing office rules and regulations; and he ignored his supervisor’s reasonable instructions. After four months of this behavior, his supervisor sent a formal warning that he would be dismissed if he did not shape up. He ignored the warning.
CSC head Karina Constantino-David said that CSC’s rule on performance is clear that one rating of “poor” is enough ground for an employee’s dismissal, as is done in the private sector. She said that “however by practice, government employees are luckier than employees in the private sector because once they become permanent, it is very hard to fire them.”
David explained, “Bosses in government seldom give a rating that reflects the actual performance of their people, largely because the present rating system is highly subjective. Bosses often given in to awa for lack of a strong basis to do otherwise. In fact, the sum total of all the ratings of the 1.4 Million government people in the CSC records would be somewhere near “outstanding”, contrary to that of public opinion.”
David said that the CSC, as central personnel agency of government, has been developing and pilot-testing a rating system to address the problem. “The Performance Management System-Office Performance Evaluation System or PMS-OPES is an output-based system that will reduce the subjectivity of rating people in government agencies, make it easier for the boss to give an honest-to-goodness rating, and will provide a basis for the agency to remove a non-performer. “
She also explained that due process was observed in the case of the water district employee as he was properly warned of the possible dismissal. “Yet, he still ignored it. He probably thought he could get away with it, as some did in the past. It is about time, our government agencies get serious with weeding out non-performers. These non-performers contribute nothing and worse, they drain our limited resources that come from taxpayers’ money.”
Monday, June 25, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Uphold breastfeeding, High Court urged
AKBAYAN Representatives Risa Hontiveros and Etta Rosales urged the Supreme Court today to uphold a government policy that bans the advertising of breast milk substitutes for babies and children up to 2 years old. In a motion to intervene in a landmark Supreme Court case filed by pharmaceutical companies against the Department on Health, the solons blamed the unregulated and predatory marketing of infant formulas for the death of thousands of Filipino children and for the affliction of others due to preventable diseases.
"Breast milk is the best food for infants and children. It has superior nutritional value and it has no substitute. It can also prevent common diseases like diarrhea and acute respiratory infection. Yet, due to the aggressive promotion of infant formula and other breast milk substitutes by pharmaceutical companies, only 16% of Filipino infants are breastfed exclusively at four to five months, one of the lowest worldwide,” Rep. Hontiveros explained.
In terms of public health, the damage caused by the low rate of breastfeeding in the country is staggering, according to Rep. Hontiveros. “At least half a billion pesos are lost due to the high infant mortality rate in the country today. The government spends at least P230 million for the hospitalization to treat infant illnesses that could have been prevented had they been breastfed properly. For infants who suffer from diarrhea and acute respiratory illnesses alone, P150 million go to out-of-pocket expenses for visits to health clinics, purchase of medicines and hospitalization. Meanwhile, wages lost by parents to take care of sick infants amount to P1 billion each year,” Rep. Hontiveros added.
For her part, AKBAYAN Rep. Etta Rosales twitted the pharmaceutical industry for its greed. “An immense amount of private and public funds are lost due to the greed of multinational pharmaceutical companies. They are earning P21 billion each year from the sale of breast milk substitutes,” Rep. Rosales said. “They should be compelled to recognize that the regulation of the promotion of infant formulas is not a trade issue but a question of promoting human rights and public health.”
“Their relentless and unregulated promotion of infant formulas is a vicious form of lying. Mothers are led to believe that breast milk substitutes would make infant and children have better IQ, better immune system, better vision, and better health. The scientific community and public health advocates have already proven these claims to be untrue,” Rep. Rosales pointed out.
According to Rep. Rosales, by foisting these lies upon the public, Filipino mothers are blinded from the superior benefits of breastfeeding. “A DOH report shows that breastfeeding can prevent around 1.2 million illness episodes of diarrhea and acute respiratory infection; 10 million days of illness; 450,000 health facility visits; and 36,000 infant hospitalizations,” Rep. Rosales said.
“The Philippine government has the authority to intervene in an industry that grossly undermines public health. Breast milk is the most important food for infants and it is irreplaceable,” she stressed.
"Breast milk is the best food for infants and children. It has superior nutritional value and it has no substitute. It can also prevent common diseases like diarrhea and acute respiratory infection. Yet, due to the aggressive promotion of infant formula and other breast milk substitutes by pharmaceutical companies, only 16% of Filipino infants are breastfed exclusively at four to five months, one of the lowest worldwide,” Rep. Hontiveros explained.
In terms of public health, the damage caused by the low rate of breastfeeding in the country is staggering, according to Rep. Hontiveros. “At least half a billion pesos are lost due to the high infant mortality rate in the country today. The government spends at least P230 million for the hospitalization to treat infant illnesses that could have been prevented had they been breastfed properly. For infants who suffer from diarrhea and acute respiratory illnesses alone, P150 million go to out-of-pocket expenses for visits to health clinics, purchase of medicines and hospitalization. Meanwhile, wages lost by parents to take care of sick infants amount to P1 billion each year,” Rep. Hontiveros added.
For her part, AKBAYAN Rep. Etta Rosales twitted the pharmaceutical industry for its greed. “An immense amount of private and public funds are lost due to the greed of multinational pharmaceutical companies. They are earning P21 billion each year from the sale of breast milk substitutes,” Rep. Rosales said. “They should be compelled to recognize that the regulation of the promotion of infant formulas is not a trade issue but a question of promoting human rights and public health.”
“Their relentless and unregulated promotion of infant formulas is a vicious form of lying. Mothers are led to believe that breast milk substitutes would make infant and children have better IQ, better immune system, better vision, and better health. The scientific community and public health advocates have already proven these claims to be untrue,” Rep. Rosales pointed out.
According to Rep. Rosales, by foisting these lies upon the public, Filipino mothers are blinded from the superior benefits of breastfeeding. “A DOH report shows that breastfeeding can prevent around 1.2 million illness episodes of diarrhea and acute respiratory infection; 10 million days of illness; 450,000 health facility visits; and 36,000 infant hospitalizations,” Rep. Rosales said.
“The Philippine government has the authority to intervene in an industry that grossly undermines public health. Breast milk is the most important food for infants and it is irreplaceable,” she stressed.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Congress' embarrassing failure to pass landmark bills proves it has lost its soul
Calling Congress' failure to pass landmark bills on human rights, education and health "an embarrassing proof of Congress' political degeneration", AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros said that the Congress' centennial marks a continuing backslide in Philippine democracy. "The failure of the House of Representatives to perform its ministerial duty to ratify the human rights compensation bill and the UP Charter Amendments, including the enactment of the cheap medicines bill, symbolize an institution that has lost its soul."
"Any Congress should represent the composition and aspirations of the people. What we see before us, unfortunately, is a wasteful institution that has lost soul to patronage politics and elitism," Rep. Hontiveros stressed. "The House of Representatives remains to be one of the biggest hindrances in achieving our nation's democratic dreams."
"I wonder where the House leadership got the audacity to parade before other parliaments and before the Filipino people an institution suffering gravely from the lack of credibility, elitism, and patronage," Rep. Hontiveros said. "This is an institution dominated not by statesmen and patriots but by politicians whose greed for wealth and power is so breathtakingly repulsive. No wonder why the Filipino people do not trust Congress."
A neophyte legislator during the 13th Congress, AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros said that Congress has continuously alienated itself from the people. She feels aghast that despite the persistence and strong lobby from people's organizations, Martial law human rights victims, and the UP community, the House of Representatives found it easy to dismiss the bills.
"Both the human rights compensation bill and the UP Charter amendments have already been ratified the Senate. All the House of Representatives had to do is to ratify the bills' bicam reports, a rather ministerial obligation. But it did nothing, and the House majority arrogantly sat on its ass to block the bills' passage," an irked Rep. Hontiveros said.
What's worse, she added, is that the House leadership colluded with the military establishment and the administration to engage in simultaneous doublespeak. "The House majority told the public and AKBAYAN Rep. Etta Rosales that the human rights compensation bill would be ratified. President GMA made a statement from Rome that it would be ratified. The AFP leadership said that they don’t object to the bill. When asked about the UP Charter amendments, the House majority promised UP officials that it would also be ratified. Up to the last minute, we were all waiting for the ratification of the bills. But no such thing happened," Rep. Hontiveros said.
"Despite its denial, we know that the national security cluster in the Cabinet is against the human rights compensation bill. So where is the supposed independence of Congress?" Rep. Hontiveros demanded.
She likewise twitted the House leadership for failing to muster a quorum for the passage of the cheap medicines bill. "AKBAYAN has worked closely with advocates from the health sector, including our senior citizens. They attended the session religiously, and they probably have attended more sessions than some of the representatives. It is so frustrating and disappointing to see that during the last three session days, the majority was not able to gather a quorum," Rep. Hontiveros said.
"If we go by the performance of Speaker De Venecia and the other leaders of the ruling coalition, nobody from current leaders of the majority bloc deserve to be re-elected. Speaker De Venecia himself should at least have the delicadeza to back out from the speakership race because of performance in the 13th Congress is a huge disappointment."
"Any Congress should represent the composition and aspirations of the people. What we see before us, unfortunately, is a wasteful institution that has lost soul to patronage politics and elitism," Rep. Hontiveros stressed. "The House of Representatives remains to be one of the biggest hindrances in achieving our nation's democratic dreams."
"I wonder where the House leadership got the audacity to parade before other parliaments and before the Filipino people an institution suffering gravely from the lack of credibility, elitism, and patronage," Rep. Hontiveros said. "This is an institution dominated not by statesmen and patriots but by politicians whose greed for wealth and power is so breathtakingly repulsive. No wonder why the Filipino people do not trust Congress."
A neophyte legislator during the 13th Congress, AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros said that Congress has continuously alienated itself from the people. She feels aghast that despite the persistence and strong lobby from people's organizations, Martial law human rights victims, and the UP community, the House of Representatives found it easy to dismiss the bills.
"Both the human rights compensation bill and the UP Charter amendments have already been ratified the Senate. All the House of Representatives had to do is to ratify the bills' bicam reports, a rather ministerial obligation. But it did nothing, and the House majority arrogantly sat on its ass to block the bills' passage," an irked Rep. Hontiveros said.
What's worse, she added, is that the House leadership colluded with the military establishment and the administration to engage in simultaneous doublespeak. "The House majority told the public and AKBAYAN Rep. Etta Rosales that the human rights compensation bill would be ratified. President GMA made a statement from Rome that it would be ratified. The AFP leadership said that they don’t object to the bill. When asked about the UP Charter amendments, the House majority promised UP officials that it would also be ratified. Up to the last minute, we were all waiting for the ratification of the bills. But no such thing happened," Rep. Hontiveros said.
"Despite its denial, we know that the national security cluster in the Cabinet is against the human rights compensation bill. So where is the supposed independence of Congress?" Rep. Hontiveros demanded.
She likewise twitted the House leadership for failing to muster a quorum for the passage of the cheap medicines bill. "AKBAYAN has worked closely with advocates from the health sector, including our senior citizens. They attended the session religiously, and they probably have attended more sessions than some of the representatives. It is so frustrating and disappointing to see that during the last three session days, the majority was not able to gather a quorum," Rep. Hontiveros said.
"If we go by the performance of Speaker De Venecia and the other leaders of the ruling coalition, nobody from current leaders of the majority bloc deserve to be re-elected. Speaker De Venecia himself should at least have the delicadeza to back out from the speakership race because of performance in the 13th Congress is a huge disappointment."
Congress' embarrassing failure to pass landmark bills proves it has lost its soul
Calling Congress' failure to pass landmark bills on human rights, education and health "an embarrassing proof of Congress' political degeneration", AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros said that the Congress' centennial marks a continuing backslide in Philippine democracy. "The failure of the House of Representatives to perform its ministerial duty to ratify the human rights compensation bill and the UP Charter Amendments, including the enactment of the cheap medicines bill, symbolize an institution that has lost its soul."
"Any Congress should represent the composition and aspirations of the people. What we see before us, unfortunately, is a wasteful institution that has lost soul to patronage politics and elitism," Rep. Hontiveros stressed. "The House of Representatives remains to be one of the biggest hindrances in achieving our nation's democratic dreams."
"I wonder where the House leadership got the audacity to parade before other parliaments and before the Filipino people an institution suffering gravely from the lack of credibility, elitism, and patronage," Rep. Hontiveros said. "This is an institution dominated not by statesmen and patriots but by politicians whose greed for wealth and power is so breathtakingly repulsive. No wonder why the Filipino people do not trust Congress."
A neophyte legislator during the 13th Congress, AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros said that Congress has continuously alienated itself from the people. She feels aghast that despite the persistence and strong lobby from people's organizations, Martial law human rights victims, and the UP community, the House of Representatives found it easy to dismiss the bills.
"Both the human rights compensation bill and the UP Charter amendments have already been ratified the Senate. All the House of Representatives had to do is to ratify the bills' bicam reports, a rather ministerial obligation. But it did nothing, and the House majority arrogantly sat on its ass to block the bills' passage," an irked Rep. Hontiveros said.
What's worse, she added, is that the House leadership colluded with the military establishment and the administration to engage in simultaneous doublespeak. "The House majority told the public and AKBAYAN Rep. Etta Rosales that the human rights compensation bill would be ratified. President GMA made a statement from Rome that it would be ratified. The AFP leadership said that they don’t object to the bill. When asked about the UP Charter amendments, the House majority promised UP officials that it would also be ratified. Up to the last minute, we were all waiting for the ratification of the bills. But no such thing happened," Rep. Hontiveros said.
"Despite its denial, we know that the national security cluster in the Cabinet is against the human rights compensation bill. So where is the supposed independence of Congress?" Rep. Hontiveros demanded.
She likewise twitted the House leadership for failing to muster a quorum for the passage of the cheap medicines bill. "AKBAYAN has worked closely with advocates from the health sector, including our senior citizens. They attended the session religiously, and they probably have attended more sessions than some of the representatives. It is so frustrating and disappointing to see that during the last three session days, the majority was not able to gather a quorum," Rep. Hontiveros said.
"If we go by the performance of Speaker De Venecia and the other leaders of the ruling coalition, nobody from current leaders of the majority bloc deserve to be re-elected. Speaker De Venecia himself should at least have the delicadeza to back out from the speakership race because of performance in the 13th Congress is a huge disappointment."
"Any Congress should represent the composition and aspirations of the people. What we see before us, unfortunately, is a wasteful institution that has lost soul to patronage politics and elitism," Rep. Hontiveros stressed. "The House of Representatives remains to be one of the biggest hindrances in achieving our nation's democratic dreams."
"I wonder where the House leadership got the audacity to parade before other parliaments and before the Filipino people an institution suffering gravely from the lack of credibility, elitism, and patronage," Rep. Hontiveros said. "This is an institution dominated not by statesmen and patriots but by politicians whose greed for wealth and power is so breathtakingly repulsive. No wonder why the Filipino people do not trust Congress."
A neophyte legislator during the 13th Congress, AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros said that Congress has continuously alienated itself from the people. She feels aghast that despite the persistence and strong lobby from people's organizations, Martial law human rights victims, and the UP community, the House of Representatives found it easy to dismiss the bills.
"Both the human rights compensation bill and the UP Charter amendments have already been ratified the Senate. All the House of Representatives had to do is to ratify the bills' bicam reports, a rather ministerial obligation. But it did nothing, and the House majority arrogantly sat on its ass to block the bills' passage," an irked Rep. Hontiveros said.
What's worse, she added, is that the House leadership colluded with the military establishment and the administration to engage in simultaneous doublespeak. "The House majority told the public and AKBAYAN Rep. Etta Rosales that the human rights compensation bill would be ratified. President GMA made a statement from Rome that it would be ratified. The AFP leadership said that they don’t object to the bill. When asked about the UP Charter amendments, the House majority promised UP officials that it would also be ratified. Up to the last minute, we were all waiting for the ratification of the bills. But no such thing happened," Rep. Hontiveros said.
"Despite its denial, we know that the national security cluster in the Cabinet is against the human rights compensation bill. So where is the supposed independence of Congress?" Rep. Hontiveros demanded.
She likewise twitted the House leadership for failing to muster a quorum for the passage of the cheap medicines bill. "AKBAYAN has worked closely with advocates from the health sector, including our senior citizens. They attended the session religiously, and they probably have attended more sessions than some of the representatives. It is so frustrating and disappointing to see that during the last three session days, the majority was not able to gather a quorum," Rep. Hontiveros said.
"If we go by the performance of Speaker De Venecia and the other leaders of the ruling coalition, nobody from current leaders of the majority bloc deserve to be re-elected. Speaker De Venecia himself should at least have the delicadeza to back out from the speakership race because of performance in the 13th Congress is a huge disappointment."
Monday, June 4, 2007
Unite for cheaper medicines bill, legislators urged
The outgoing members of the 13th Congress were urged today by AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros to throw away the animosities, division and bitterness spawned by the 2007 polls and unite for the passage of the cheaper medicines bill.
"We hope that the 13th Congress would end in a more productive tone, not only through the consistent presence of a quorum for the remaining session days but also through the approval of the cheaper medicines bill," AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros said.
"The passage of the bill would be seen as a meaningful gift of Congress to the Filipino people on its centennial," Rep. Hontiveros said. "It's also chance to redeem itself from a public that has consistently viewed Congress with objection."
Prior to the recess, the legislators were unable to pass the bill due to intense lobbying from multinational pharmaceutical companies. "The ruckus caused by the unethical behavior of anti-cheaper meds lobbyists demonstrates the extent that profit-driven multinational pharmas are willing to pursue just to block the bill. We will not allow the same behavior to impede on the legislative process again," Rep. Hontiveros said.
The solon, one of the principal authors of the bill, pointed out that representatives from different NGOs and senior citizens organizations would be present during session hours to guard the process against unscrupulous and unethical actions that multinational pharmas may commit this time. "For sure, these well-heeled lobbyists would use the quorum to block the bill's passage. We cannot afford to lose a single day, so we have to make sure that Congress is able to exercise its duty independently," Rep. Hontiveros said.
The bill seeks to lower the price of medicines by amending the country's intellectual property law. The bill allows for compulsory licensing and parallel importation to increase access to essential medicines in the Philippines, which has one the highest price of drugs in Asia.
"We hope that the 13th Congress would end in a more productive tone, not only through the consistent presence of a quorum for the remaining session days but also through the approval of the cheaper medicines bill," AKBAYAN Rep. Risa Hontiveros said.
"The passage of the bill would be seen as a meaningful gift of Congress to the Filipino people on its centennial," Rep. Hontiveros said. "It's also chance to redeem itself from a public that has consistently viewed Congress with objection."
Prior to the recess, the legislators were unable to pass the bill due to intense lobbying from multinational pharmaceutical companies. "The ruckus caused by the unethical behavior of anti-cheaper meds lobbyists demonstrates the extent that profit-driven multinational pharmas are willing to pursue just to block the bill. We will not allow the same behavior to impede on the legislative process again," Rep. Hontiveros said.
The solon, one of the principal authors of the bill, pointed out that representatives from different NGOs and senior citizens organizations would be present during session hours to guard the process against unscrupulous and unethical actions that multinational pharmas may commit this time. "For sure, these well-heeled lobbyists would use the quorum to block the bill's passage. We cannot afford to lose a single day, so we have to make sure that Congress is able to exercise its duty independently," Rep. Hontiveros said.
The bill seeks to lower the price of medicines by amending the country's intellectual property law. The bill allows for compulsory licensing and parallel importation to increase access to essential medicines in the Philippines, which has one the highest price of drugs in Asia.
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