THE country has legislated government offices across the country to comply with the “no-noon break” policy mandated by Republic Act 9485. Government employees should not take snacks or lunch at the same time, with some of the personnel left to man the office.
No less than President Rodrigo Duterte warned after his inauguration, reminding civil servants that they are paid salaries from taxpayers’ money to work eight hours a day. Failing that, they are “swindling” the people.
“Technically, when you are not there to serve the people and you ask them to come back repeatedly, you are committing estafa,” said former prosecutor Duterte while addressing government workers in Davao City.
Perhaps, someone forgot to remind Baciwa (Bacolod City Water District) of RA 9485 of 2007.
I was there yesterday to pay my monthly bill. Since I have to pick up my bill at the Baciwa, I was aghast to find no one manning my pick-up point.
The security guards, in fact, told me to wait for 30 minutes because most of the staff were on lunch break.
Whoa! I knew Baciwa has a sign saying “No noon break” so the public utility knew all along the anti-red tape law.
But there it was. Staring on my way. I checked the time. 12:30 noon. I can understand their time off for lunch.
I had to remind myself that I’m now a renewed Catholic Christian, that I should be like Jesus Christ, a forgiving and understanding person.
But didn’t our Lord Jesus Christ said “Render to Caesar what is to Caesar, and to God what is to God?” (Mark 12:17)
But then I reflected that this was not the first time I experienced this noon breaks in Baciwa. These noon breaks are in defiance – not compliance – of the anti-red tape law. Is this a case of not rendering to Caesar what is to the government?
What is to the government is for publicly paid servants to adhere to – not flout – the law. I can compare my experience with the Philippine Statistics Office when I processed my birth certificate. PSA complied with anti-red tape law and there were someone manning the booths.
If PSA can do that, why not Baciwa?
To be fair to Baciwa, finally the security guards pointed me to line up at the regular payment section where the personnel behind the booth processed my payment.
Still I wonder who decided to enforce their noon-break policy? Management? Or the union?
(bqsanc@yahoo.com)
