THE Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) conveyed its gratitude to the Senate finance subcommittee for its swift approval of the proposed P1.16 billion agency budget.

“Makakaasa po kayong tutugunan natin ang mga kailangan ng OPS,” OPS officer-in-charge Undersecretary Cheloy V. Garafil told lawmakers during the budget hearing on Monday, Oct. 10.

Led by Sen. JV Ejercito, the Senate panel’s sub-committee “N” pledged full support to the agency’s appeal for the reinstatement of state-run broadcast network IBC-13, which had been struggling to provide retirement pay to the majority of 130 employees for more than a decade.

The corporation has paid only 38 percent of its 130 retirees since 2009, providing them with only P10,000 monthly to cover unpaid benefits, IBC-13 president and CEO Hexilon Alvarez bared during the budget hearing.

Some three or four retired employees have also died in the past two years without receiving their compensation, he added.

“Nakalulungkot ang budget na ito as we listen to to the predicament of our employees at PTV-4 and IBC-13,” said Ejercito.

“Dapat siguro, we can ask DBM at least (to provide funding to IBC-13) kung ‘yon man lang, Sir Raffy. Pagtulungan natin, so once and for all, we can settle this decades-long problem,” he added.

Ejercito was addressing Tulfo, who had also lamented the lack of support for the state-run broadcast station and its employees.

A former broadcaster who also worked in PTV-4, Tulfo cited the importance of increasing the salaries of government employees and granting the benefits that should be accorded to them.

“Those who are working behind the scenes (should be properly compensated) because they have families, too,” he said.

He said he was willing to support a legislative measure that would further protect employees working in government-run networks.

Alvarez, along with Grafil, renewed their call for support to help them address the problems within the agency.

“Ikinalulungkot ko po na simula 2009, hindi po nakayanan ng IBC-13 na sagutin ang mga ibang retirement benefits,” Alvarez told senators. “Kaya po kami humihingi ng tulong sa Senado.”

Earlier in September, the OPS told the House appropriations committee that IBC-13 may be forced to shut down by January 2023 if it won’t receive an allocation from next year’s National Expenditure Plan.

It means the 172 employees of IBC-13 are also at risk of losing their jobs once the station ceases operations. Philippine News Agency