Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidate Benhur Abalos is advocating for regular gratuity pay and incentives, especially during Christmas for the 832,000 contract-of-service (COS) and job order (JO) workers in government.
Abalos said if he can secure a Senate seat in the midterm elections, he would file a bill that will provide the much-needed benefits for the COS and JO workers in the public sector.
Unlike regular government employees holding permanent, casual, temporary, and co-terminus positions, JO and COS workers are not receiving standard employment benefits.
Citing 2023 data from the DBM, Abalos said JO and COS employees make up 29.68 percent of the government workforce.
National government agencies with the same job arrangements at 173,227; state universities and colleges with 44,168 workers; government-owned and-controlled corporations with 28,667 and local water districts with 6,427 workers.
