Government employees pushed back against the Government Optimization Act or National Government Rightsizing Program, a bill approved by the bicameral committee that would legalize widespread layoffs among government workers in the name of “efficiency.” This law, which has long been the Marcos Jr regime’s priority, threatens the jobs of 2.9 million employees and risks deepening inequality among their ranks.
The proposal passed the bicameral committee on June 3 and now only awaits the president’s signature. It will allow for the removal, merging, and deactivation of agencies and positions.
“This will lead to mass layoffs and displacements,” according to the federation Courage. The government’s incentives will not be enough to soften the long-term impact on the unemployment of many employees, it said.
The group refuted the pretext that rightsizing is needed to supposedly reduce government expenses. They asked, if conservation is truly the reason, why are the huge budgets for debt servicing, military spending, and confidential and intelligence funds remain intact?
“If the government truly wants to optimize spending, it should start by fixing how funds are allocated—not by cutting jobs,” the employees said.
According to data from the International Labor Organization, the number of employees providing public service in the Philippines is not enough. But instead of strengthening the public sector, the regime is shrinking it. This will result in employees burdened with excessive workloads and forced to take on multiple roles in the bureaucracy. This will further increase burn-out, low morale, and ultimately, inefficient service.
Courage also said the bill will not modernize the bureaucracy.
“Efforts to improve the government should begin with job security, transparency, and adequate staffing to meet the needs of the public,” it said. Without these, the government only weakens its service to the people.
Employees are calling for the rejection of the rightsizing proposal.
“It is disheartening that the Marcos administration and Congress pushed for this measure instead of tackling corruption (in government)—-like the serious allegations facing impeached Vice President Sara Duterte,” it said.