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Jokes & promises

Clever.

That is how the government sees itself after coming up with its four-day workweek scheme for government employees.

Administrative Order (AO) 117 aims to generate government savings and provide respite for government employees, and the public in general, from soaring prices. With longer vacation, government also hopes to generate income—consumers, it says, will now have more time to go about town, and do some shopping. This should fuel tourism, according to the government.

The government also believes that it is doing public employees a favor by “reducing” the working hours. Shorter workhours, same pay, it brags.

The four-day workweek reduces the number of working hours from 8 to 10 hours daily. Employees are expected toreport from 7:30 a.m . to 6:30 p.m. daily. Should employees report for work past the said time-in, they are considered tardy. And staying past 6:30 p.m. wont make up for it. With the early time in and late time-out, number of hours actually remain at 40 hours a week. With this, expenses on city services, like water and electricity, will remain at the usual expense.

Government likes to believe also that employees will now be able to save on food and transport expenses.

Well, the government likes to believe in a lot of things it perceives beneficial to the public. But if it were really sincere in its effort to save funds, there are other, more constructive ways. We have had enough of Pres. Gloria Arroyo’s shortsighted, reactive plans, as she and her staff seem allergic to more proactive, practical solutions.

The crux of the matter is to address the root of the economic crisis.

For one, the debt crisis. In 2005, government’s total debts reached P5.9 trillion, and we would be needing another $4 billion, through debts, of course, to survive the year. As expected, expenses for debt servicing gets the biggest slice of the national budget for 2005. In turn, social services are neglected.

Debts can be gradually brought to an end if adjustments are made in the national economy, which is export-oriented and import-dependent. Cheap labor, through our OFWs, have become government’s main export, and it is all about the dollar remittances.

The government relies greatly on foreign investors to fuel the economy. This has led us to great debts. And lest government moves to strengthen the agricultural sector and the local industries, it will be eternally bound by these debts. Political will is an integral part of this process.

But the government should review its expenses, which is always lavishly spent in unproductive programs, unnecessary creation of additional offices under the Office of the President (Madam, how many heads do you need to decide?), including superfluous trips abroad, which are reportedly complete with the First Family entourage.

Also, the government’s lifeline relies greatly on graft and corruption—there goes the conflict. By the way, Madam President, tell your friends to pay their taxes. These are the issues that need to be addressed if we are to seriously resuscitate this economy.

As for our government employees, including private workers, they have long been clamoring for wage increases—P3000 and P125, respectively, across-the-board nationwide. They tirelessly explained to these supposedly educated leaders of Congress the legitimacy of these salary and wage increases.

The response to this call will truly give respite to government workers. Not adjusted working hours and speculations. As Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye put it, AO 117 is an “experiment” such that they can sit back and “see the outcome”. Concrete problems are resolved with concrete solutions, not guesswork. #

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