Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 10) — An account receivable from the Department of Education will help a government network settle unpaid retirement benefits and fund salary increases, according to information disclosed during a Senate budget hearing.
The agency still owes Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation or IBC-13 some ₱75 million in connection with a block time deal for blended learning.
“Sinisingil po namin siya ngayon [we are trying to collect it now] and we were informed by the undersecretary of finance and administration of DepEd that it’s under process,” IBC-13 President and CEO Hexilon Alvarez said during the hearing on the proposed ₱1.16-billion budget for the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) and its attached agencies, including IBC-13, which has incurred losses through the years.
In a chance interview, OPS officer-in-charge Cheloy Garafil said, “Ang commitment nila (DepEd) is within the year.”
Alvarez said a portion of the debt payment will cover the longstanding benefits of some 130 retired employees.
“Ikinalulungkot ko po na simula 2009 hindi po nakayanan ng IBC-13 na sagutin ang ibang mga retirement benefits. Sa ngayon, we were able to cover only the amount of 38%,” Alvarez said.
[Translation: Unfortunately, IBC has not been able to pay some of the retirement benefits since 2009. Right now, we were able to cover only the amount of 38%.]
Alvarez said funds are also needed to adjust the salaries of current employees.
“Ang mga empleyado po ng IBC ay katulad rin po ng mga empleyado ng PTV-4, hindi rin naka-receive ng mga increase,” he said.
[Translation: Like employees of PTV-4, those who work for IBC have not been receiving salary increases.]
Broadcaster-turned-Senator Raffy Tulfo also put the spotlight on some 500 contractual workers of People’s Television Network (PTV).
PTV-4 head executive assistant Raymund Sanchez said the table of organization, which will pave the way for the regularization, has been submitted to the Governance Commission for GOCCs.
“Pwede po kasi itong abutin ng six months kung tututukan pero pwede rin po siyang abutin ng dalawang taon kung magkakaroon ng maraming problema,” he said.
[Translation: The process can be completed in six months if prioritized but it can also last for two years if problems arise.]
The Senate finance subcommittee led by Senator JV Ejercito approved the proposed OPS budget, sending it to the plenary for deliberation.
