Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual ordered the administration of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to deal with the complaints of the employees following the difficulty that some workers of the funding promotion company have been demoted.
The highly effective Commission on Appointments on Tuesday suspended the deliberations on Pascual’s advert interim appointment.
Representative Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur introduced up the management battle within the PEZA earlier than the listening to was adjourned. Pascual allegedly ordered the substitute of former Director General Charito Plaza with present PEZA officer-in-charge Tereso Panga when he grew to become Department of Trade and Industry secretary.
The congressman additionally mentioned that a number of the everlasting workers have been positioned on floating standing or have been demoted.
Pascual, in an announcement, mentioned that as DTI chief and chairman of the PEZA Board, he’s “not directly involved in matters involving human resource management in PEZA as it has its own head—the Director General.”
However, Pascual mentioned he had instructed the PEZA administration to elucidate the “propriety of its decisions” to the PEZA Board “in hopes of addressing the concerns of PEZA employees.”
Pascual added that he would organize a dialogue with the concerned employees to come up with a fair and just course of action.
The Cabinet official said that he was not expected to be aware of the day-to-day operations of the PEZA, “except in matters concerning general policies related to the establishment and maintenance of economic zones as the PEZA is only an attached agency of DTI.”
He mentioned that he was solely knowledgeable of the criticism of 4 PEZA workers towards the PEZA administration on December 5, the night time earlier than the affirmation listening to on the CA.
Pascual mentioned that the belief of Panga as PEZA OIC Director General was primarily based on Memorandum Circular No. 1, sequence of 2022 issued by the Office of the President.
“The circular declared vacant several positions in the government and allowed the most senior career officer to assume the position of officer-in-charge (OIC),” he mentioned.
Moreover, Pascual mentioned the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued DOJ Opinion No. 17, s. 2022, stating that the designation of Panga as PEZA OIC was authorized and legitimate.
According to the DOJ Opinion, “Since the position of DG was declared vacant pursuant to MC No. 1, the DDG, as the next-in-rank and the most senior official, validly assumed office as OIC of PEZA, and shall continue to perform such functions until 31 December 2022, or until a replacement has been appointed, whichever comes first.”
The PEZA goals to advertise the institution of financial zones within the nation to draw overseas investments.
It can also be tasked with extending help, registering, granting incentives to, and facilitating the business operations of buyers in export-oriented manufacturing and repair services inside particular financial zones. — VBL, GMA Integrated News
