THE Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) has filed a motion for reconsideration (MR) on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, on Decision No. 210015 of the Civil Service Commission (CSC)-Regional Office-Western Visayas ordering the reinstatement of the 50 declared redundant employees and payment of their back wages.
Baciwa, in a statement Thursday, September 9, 2021, said the MR was filed within the reglementary period and the execution of the decision will be held in abeyance pending resolution of the case.
The CSC’s decision dated August 20, 2021 signed by Western Visayas Director Nelson Sarmiento stated that terminated employees shall be reinstated without loss of seniority and shall be entitled to full pay from the time of their separation until actual reinstatement.
It took six days for Baciwa to receive a copy of the decision directing them to reinstate their former employees.
It can be recalled that Engineer Michael Soliva, acting general manager of Baciwa, through Office Order 2020-081, terminated 60 employees of the water utility firm over alleged redundancy effective December 30, 2020.
In May 2018, the Board of Directors of Baciwa created the Joint Venture Selection Committee (JVSC) for the unsolicited proposals submitted by Metro Pacific Water Investments Corporation, PrimeWater and the consortium of Manila Water Company Inc., Manila Water Philippine Ventures Inc. and Tubig Pilipinas in preparation for the partnership of the firms.
Lenny Espina, president of the Baciwa Employees Union, earlier said the CSC’s decision proved that Baciwa made a mistake in terminating them.
“We are fighting for our rights and we proved that Baciwa made a mistake. Our victory will also serve as an example to other water districts in the country,” she said.
Espina added that nine of the terminated workers had accepted Baciwa’s offer due to their economic situation.
