Workers at the Clark Development Corporation lamented that they have been kept in the dark by the CDC management on any development regarding the plea of employees affected by the implementation of the Compensation and Position Classification System (CPCS).
Association of Concerned CDC Employees (ACCES) president Edsel Manalili and vice president Randy Gomez told media in a forum that the last time they were called by CDC management to discuss CPCS was two years ago.
ACCESS has been fighting for the rights of 475 rank-and-file workers who lost their allowances, benefits and incentives (ABIs) after the implementation of the CPCS.
Manalili said they no longer have retirement and health benefits, insurance and additional allowances, all amounting to more or less ₱5,000 per worker.
The removal of ABIs should have been compensated through salary increase, but ACCES said that this did not materializa and that take home pays of some of their members remain inadequate.
Gomez said they even now have to pay for their HMOs.
While the CDC management helped file an appeal before the office of Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin on January 23, 2023, ACCES officials state that was the last time CDC communicated with them on the matter. They added that CDC has not given any updates on the appeal of rank and file employees who were adversely affected by CPCS.
ACCES, for three times, has been following up with Malacanang regarding their request for restoration of ABIs. They are hoping that the CDC management would help them in the appeal.
In their latest letter dated Nov. 14, 2024, they urged President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to expedite the resolution of the matter to alleviate the economic struggle of workers.
Manalili pointed out in the letter how the delay on the CPCS adjustments have impacted workers.
The CDC, he said, has been “silent” about the issue, so they had to follow up on the matter themselves.
“Ipinasa ng DOLE ang problema sa Malacanang,” Manalili said when asked about how the Department of Labor and Employment has been helping ACCES with their appeal.
“Ang panawagan po sana namin ay makarating sa national (government) ang issue. Ang iba po naming kasamahan, sumakabilang buhay na, at hindi man lang nakinabang,” Manalili and Gomez said.
PNN welcomes CDC’s comment on the issue.
