CDC head sees hope on workers pay-scale row

CLARK FREEPORT – Employees of Clark Development Corporation might just see a light at the end of the tunnel as new leadership here pins hope that salaries, compensation and benefits issues can still be resolved in a thorough review.

Newly-installed CDC President and Chief Executive Officer Agnes Devanadera said the plan now is to “compartmentalize” the issues related to the implementation of the so-called CPCS (Compensation and Position Classification System).

CDC workers have decried the implementation of CPCS as 92 percent of 867 total employees will be getting less take home pay when enforced.

The CPCS also removed allowances, benefits and incentives (ABIs) such as medical insurance and hospitalization.

“The CPCS disallowed all. There is now a need to compartmentalize problems from the time the GCG (Governance Commission for GOCCs) Law was implemented,” Devanadera said during a media briefing on Friday.

She was referring to allowances, benefits and incentives (ABIs) which will be taken away once the CPCS is implemented.

GCG, established during the Aquino Administration, has ordered all government owned and controlled corporations (GOCC) like CDC to stop granting compensation packages on their own.

The governance commission instead formulated the CPCS for all GOCCs.

However, the new pay scales for CDC were found to be full of inequities.

Devanadera said that by compartmentalizing, there are these so-called “regimes” on grant of salary adjustments and ABIs.

The existing compensation package prior to the GCG Law in 2011 is considered as one regime.

Another will be those mandated by the Labor Code, she said.

“Ano ang may approval ng board, ano yung pwedeng ibigay prior to GCG law (What has been approved by the CDC Board and what could be given prior to GCG Law) So that’s how I will discuss it later with the union leaders,“Devanadera said.

“While it is true that we may need GCG approval but is that absolute?," she added

Devanadera raised this question as she said that CDC is also covered by the Labor Code. “Because we are under the Labor Code. So, what we would like to pursue is that and ask do the workers already have the vested rights? And ang tingin ko meron pang pwedeng magawa. Kailangan ang himay-himayin,” (I think we can still do something about this and that we just need to have a thorough review)," she said.

Devanadera said that after the review, she would go to the Office of the President in Malacanang to seek approval of the economic benefits for employees who are still adversely affected.

For its part, the Association of Concerned CDC Employees (ACCES) welcomed the move of the new CDC Management.

“We agree with the approach to tackle issues one at a time. There are some issues that can be discussed and resolved at the plant level (CDC) such as those granted by the CDC Board before GCG’s creation and those mandated by the Labor Code,” the ACCES stated.

“Given the latest actions and pronouncements, ACCES looks forward to a fruitful collaboration with CDC management,” it added.

Devanadera has assured the CDC employees of weekly dialogues at her office.

She has reiterated that the implementation of CPCS in CDC is still suspended. —

Noel Tulabut