MANILA – The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Tuesday said it would implement its years-long deferred program requiring eligibility and educational requirements for its workers under Republic Act (RA) 10575 or the "Bureau of Corrections Act of 2013.”
In a statement, the BuCor said the program would affect 275 personnel who failed to complete the required eligibility and educational requirements within the extended time frame.
The law provides for the professionalization and upgrading of qualification standards in the appointment of the BuCor personnel.
Its personnel were given five years from the date of the law's effectivity to obtain the minimum educational qualifications and eligibility.
Meanwhile, Bucor Director General Gregorio Catapang said affected personnel can recommend relatives to apply for jobs at the bureau and assured them that they would be accommodated as long as they are qualified.
Due to the delay in the promulgation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 10575, the Qualification Standards for Uniformed Personnel of BuCor was only approved by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on March 16, 2018.
This means that the five-year period given to BuCor personnel to comply with the minimum requirements for their positions as prescribed by the CSC-approved Qualification Standards (QS) has lapsed on March 16, 2023.
However, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla suspended the implementation of the BuCor's attrition system for a non-extendible period of one year or until March 16 this year, citing the difficulties encountered by concerned individuals to comply with eligibility requirements amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On Oct. 30, 2023 and Feb. 24 this year, Catapang appealed to Remulla over the plight of the original 421 personnel set for attrition, citing the long years of service and the immense contribution of these personnel to the bureau.
Out of this number, 41 have already filed for early retirement while 105 have complied with eligibility and educational requirements, bringing down the number of personnel set for attrition to 275.
Remulla, in response, told Catapang that "the suspension of the attrition system cannot be further extended beyond the original non-extendible period of one year.”
He said the previous allowed-one year suspension was to provide affected personnel with a reasonable timeframe to meet the prescribed standards, adding that extending the suspension further may compromise the overall effectiveness of the attrition system and the commitment to maintaining a qualified and competent workforce within the BuCor.
“While the Department understands the difficulties suffered by the personnel during the Covid pandemic, it is essential to strike a balance between the exigencies of the service and the need to uphold the statutory requirements provided under RA 10575,” Remulla said. (PNA)
