BACOLOD CITY -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) has extended the contracts of 34 job order (JO) workers in its soon to be abolished regional office in Negros Island Region (NIR) until December 31 this year.
This was confirmed by DA-NIR Regional Director Joyce Wendam on Monday, saying that depending on their performance, the services of the JOs may be retained for the DA operations in the province.
The DA-NIR has an initial 28 JO personnel, but six more were hired during the third quarter.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s Executive Order 38 abolishing the NIR allowed a 60-day transition period, which means the regional line agencies will shut down their operations by September 30.
“We received a positive response to our request to extend the services of our JO personnel. They may still be extended further depending on their performance because we need people to man our operations in the province,” Wendam said.
A total of 21 regular employees have been assigned to the DA-NIR, and eight of them will move back to DA Region 6 in Iloilo City.
The 13 others will remain in their respective stations in Negros Occidental.
Wendam said an agricultural program coordinating officer (APCO) will also be assigned for Negros Occidental, representing the regional director of DA Region 6.
“The support to farmers and fisherfolk in Negros Occidental will continue as these are DA’s basic services for them even if the DA-NIR will be dissolved,” she added.
Moreover, Wendam also requested Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol to transfer the P9.2-million research fund, earlier provided by the Bureau of Agricultural Research to Negros Occidental, to the DA Region 6 with the abolition of the NIR.
She said the authority to transfer would provide easy access of funds by Negros Occidental once it will be reverted to Western Visayas.
Wendam added that the DA-NIR has already submitted its transition action plan to DA central office, DA Regions 6 and 7, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). (PNA)
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