1,792 NFA personnel to lose jobs

The Governance Commission for Government Owned or Controlled Corporations (GCG) has slashed to 2,644 the number of plantilla positions in the National Food Authority (NFA) given the state-run agency’s leaner role with the Rice Tariffication Law in place.

The GCG’s Memorandum Order No. 2019-13 dated Jan. 7, 2020, put into motion the NFA’s restructuring as mandated under Republic Act (RA) No. 11203.

The Rice Tariffication Law signed by President Duterte last year already removed the NFA’s commercial functions and regulatory powers, hence retaining only its emergency buffer-stocking mandate.

In its proposed restructuring plan submitted to the GCG in May last year, the NFA wanted to reduce plantilla positions to 3,543 from 4,436 prior to the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law.

By June last year, the NFA revised its proposed staffing pattern to a lower 3,191 plantilla positions.

However, the GCG finally approved only 2,644 plantilla positions across the NFA’s 22 organizational units, its central office, 15 regional offices and 45 branch offices.

The GCG order was signed by chair Samuel G. Dagpin, commissioners Michael P. Cloribel and Marites C. Doral as well as its two ex-officio members, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III and Acting Budget Secretary Wendel E. Avisado.

As 1,792 plantilla jobs will be shed, the GCG said “the NFA Council, through the administrator, shall be accountable for the payment of separation benefits to the affected officials and personnel, whether regular or casual/contractual, pursuant to existing laws.”

Also, “the implementation of the approved organizational structure and staffing pattern shall commence within two months from the approval of the NFA’s separation incentive package by the Office of the President,” the GCG added.

Moving forward, “filling up of vacant positions shall be programmed to ensure overall financial viability of the NFA’s operations, actual revenue collection and operating requirements” while funding requirements for regular positions will be sourced from the corporate operating budget of the NFA, the GCG said. INQ