DBM: Prioritize JO, COS employees in filling plantilla positions in gov’t

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Thursday called on heads of government agencies to prioritize contract of service (COS) and job order (JO) workers in filling their respective vacant plantilla or permanent positions in the government.

In a news release, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said that out of the total 2,017,380 plantilla positions in the national government, 92% are filled while the remaining 8% or 168,719 positions remain unfilled.

“Eight percent— that’s 168,719 positions still unfilled. We encourage our department heads to absorb those JO and COS [workers] when they fill in these unfilled plantilla positions,” Pangandaman said.

The Budget chief also cited the recent issuance of the Commission on Audit (COA)-DBM Joint Circular No. 2, series of 2024, providing the extension of the transition period on the engagement of COS and JO workers in the government.

The circular provides that the departments/agencies may engage the services of new COS/JO workers through individual contracts and renew the individual contracts of their existing COS/JO workers until December 31, 2025.

The issuance of the circular follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to extend the transition period on the engagement of the COS and JO workers in government whose contracts will expire in December this year.

“So, with the extension of until December 31, 2025, we are giving them a chance to enrich their experience and even their educational experience so they can be considered for the vacant [plantilla] positions in the national government,” Pangandaman said.

According to the DBM, Marcos earlier instructed government agencies to implement strategies to assist COS and JO workers in qualifying for permanent positions.

Among the strategies being considered is to implement programs, such as review sessions, to help their respective COS and JO workers pass the Civil Service Examination.

In addition, skills and capabilities of the COS and JO workers could be developed by reeducating and training them, thereby, enabling them to pass the Civil Service Examination.

COS refers to the engagement of the services of an individual, private firm, other government agency, non-governmental agency, or international organization as a consultant, learning service provider, or technical expert to undertake a special project or job within a specific period.

Meanwhile, JO refers to piece work (pakyaw) or intermittent or emergency jobs to be undertaken for a short duration and for a specific piece of work.—RF, GMA Integrated News