The Commission on Audit (CoA) has called out the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for hiring job order (JO) workers tasked with performing functions similar to regular employees but compensated below the minimum wage.

As of the year-end of 2023, the MMDA has 2,098 JO personnel assigned to various MMDA offices, the majority of whom or 1,875 are designated to the office of the assistant general manager for operations.

Audit findings revealed that of the total figures, 204 JOs held 24 similar positions and job descriptions as the MIMDA's regular employees, violating Joint Circular No. 2, s. 2020 of the CoA and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Pursuant to the joint circular, hiring of JOs shall be limited to emergency or intermittent work to perform manual tasks, which are not part of the regular functions of an agency. It mandates that JO should not—in any case—be required to carry out duties originally obligated to regular employees.

“The hiring of JOs is to augment the regular workforce of the MMDA. This is an indication that the hiring of JO workers was not limited to intermittent or emergency jobs… and manual tasks that were not part of the regular functions of the MMDA,” state auditors said. 

Further, CoA disclosed that 1,049 JOs were only compensated P844.78 each, which is way below the daily wage of the equivalent position to which they are being hired/rehired. The said JOs were also deprived of additional premium of up to 20 percent of salary.

“Had the daily salary rates been adjusted accordingly based on Salary Standardization Law V - 4th Tranche, they would be entitled to an additional compensation if adjustment were made on their daily salary rates and granted premiums of 20 percent of their wage/salary,” it stated. 

“[JOs] assist the government to ensure smooth, effective and efficient delivery of services to the public. Thus, it is imperative for the management to ensure that the compensation offered to these workers is in accordance with existing rules and regulations,” it added, noting that adequate compensation enhances morale and improves the satisfaction of these personnel in the workplace. 

Data submitted by the MMDA to the CoA likewise showed that there were three different daily salary rates applied for eight JO workers with comparable positions under Salary Grade 23, but the former argued that this is still subject to clarification/reconciliation.

According to the state auditing body, there were also 58 plantilla items relative to the positions held by those 204 JO workers that are still vacant or not yet filled up as last year. 

The MMDA, however, asserted that they already tapped the DBM to assist them in addressing the lack of permanent positions in the agency. 

Nevertheless, it assured auditors that it would take necessary steps to gradually decrease the number of JOs, including reviewing and assessing current manpower, implementing the "no replacement" policy for terminated or resigned JOs, and hiring JOs into casual positions. 

The MMDA also claimed that at least 55 casual employees were also hired out of the JO workers during last year. 

“As part of compliance with the COA-DBM IC No. 2, s. 2020, the salary of the JO workers has been partly adjusted in accordance with the MMDA Memorandum. Likewise, the MMDA gives a gratuity benefit of P10,000.00 each per annum to the JO personnel, which is charged against the MOOE of the MIMDA,” the audit report reads.