This is a much-awaited post. Long postponed as I have had my hopes up especially since the hubby is part of this ordeal. He has been (contractually) employed by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas for almost 6 years now. And yes, you read it right, still a contractual. Some of you might say that his performance might have affected this. I would’ve agreed with you, only that most of his batchmates (and the ones that followed) are STILL contractuals.
He is an average plant worker. He wakes up very early in the morning just to go to the office on time. Like everybody else, he has had his fair share of tardiness and absences. Some of which are probably out of the fact that his body and mind is giving up on the situation he is in. Most though, are because of emergency issues. Six years ago, around October, he knew about the vacancy and was told to apply at LBP (LandBank Agency), the authorized (and bid winner) agency for contractual employees for BSP (Bangko Sentral). I knew what he went through. I was with him the whole time. I myself was applying at a call center (my first real job), so we can both bring money in, and save up for our (then) child who was 2 years old during that time. Both the hubby and I wasn’t able to finish college. Its not something we’re proud of, but neither are we ashamed of it. He wasn’t allowed to go back to school while I, wanted to stop, because of the guilt and shame that my mom was still paying for my tuition and my child’s needs. We both successfully got in our respective jobs. Months and years (and lots of other jobs for me) passed by, the hubby was still very patient and hopeful, that he will someday be regularized and reap benefits he longed to have. For your info, being a contractual means getting only the basic wage (minus what seems to be an agency fee). No other benefits except for law-mandated Pag-ibig, SSS and Philhealth. Nothing more. If we were to rely on his salary for our expenses, we would not have survived. My call center salary was 3 times what he was earning! So we continued to work and hope for the best.
Six years later, I am pregnant with our 3rd child. This pregnancy is giving me a hard time. It was not like the previous ones wherein I can still work and do business. Money flow was okay then. Now, I can say, is the worst of all times. We have 2 kids and one on the way, and we are relying on his measly wage or whatever’s left of it after he pays the bills (Meralco, water, house rent, village dues). While I, can only contribute an irregular amount. I get this from certain projects that I handle (the ones that I still can) and from my mom and relatives. Another bad thing is that recently I had an “argument” with the hubby’s relatives. By my earlier posts, you can read what I have gone through. Yes, another hassle.
What I’m trying to point out here is, until when should the hubby wait? What kind of government is this? Inhumane?! I was kind of hoping that with the new administration, this will at least see some light. But I think I was wrong. The hubby received a memo last week, telling him and the others that they were to go on a 2 week vacation (alternate with 2 weeks work) until they receive P-noy’s signature for the new set of monies. Great! Some contractuals would even be on indefinite vacation until god-knows-when. This is so much a disappointment to me, to the contractuals and those (like me) who rely on a constant work (at least!) for us to keep afloat in these tough times.
I don’t know what else to say, but my frustration definitely has made my days more stressful. Thanks Philippine Government!
From My Perspective 