MISAMIS ORIENTAL -  More than 1,800 job order (JO) and casual employees of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Capitol have been affected by the termination of their contracts, effective January 23, following a major reduction in the province’s 2026 budget. 

This was confirmed on January 22 by Celso Abucejo, Special Assistant to Governor Juliette Uy, who said that 1,622 job order workers and 210 casual employees effectively lost their jobs beginning today. 

“Lisod kaayo magpatrabaho nga wala diay kay isweldo,” Abucejo said, stressing that the provincial government cannot continue employment arrangements without sufficient funds to cover salaries.

According to Abucejo, a memorandum was issued to all department heads at the Provincial Capitol, effective immediately. 

Some JO and casual workers reportedly received the memo yesterday, while others were served notices today.

He explained that the decision stemmed from the ₱1.1-billion reduction in the proposed ₱4.4-billion provincial budget, which was trimmed down to ₱3.3 billion by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP). 

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“Kani kabahin sa direktiba ni Governor nga mag-tighten og belt,” Abucejo said, adding that the slashed amount could have been enough to cover the salaries of casual and JO workers, but under the approved budget, this is no longer feasible.

Abucejo further noted that the affected employees’ contracts had already expired on December 31, 2025, and that job order and casual workers are not covered by Civil Service regulations. 

The budget cut has significantly disrupted the operations of several provincial offices. As an example, the Provincial Information Office (PIO) was allocated only ₱120,000, while the Provincial Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (PLENRO) received ₱830,000, far below its proposed ₱31 million budget.

SP Committee on Appropriations Chair Rommel Maslog defended the legislature’s decision, saying the reduction was based on the province’s actual income performance. 

Maslog explained that Misamis Oriental has been collecting only about 50 percent of its projected revenues, making it impractical to base a budget largely on optimistic projections. 

“Kung magbase ta sa projections, mura kag ga-ihap og kwarta nga wala pa nimo nakolekta,” Maslog said, emphasizing that budgets must be grounded on realistic and verifiable income figures.

He added that the ₱3.3-billion approved budget is consistent with the amount earlier announced by Governor Uy during her governor’s report, noting a ₱1.1-billion discrepancy between the proposed and approved figures. 

Maslog stressed that the SP’s action aims to ensure a more orderly and sustainable flow of expenditures throughout the fiscal year. 

“This is the time nga ma-tarong gyud ang flow sa budget aron malikayan ang kakulangan sa ulahi,” he said.

Despite this, Abucejo acknowledged the hardship faced by displaced workers and apologized on behalf of the provincial government. 

He reiterated that Governor Uy’s long-standing policy is to provide employment opportunities based on actual work requirements, not political accommodation. 

“Ang tumong ni Gov karon mao ang pag-higpit sa pondo aron mas maprioridad ang serbisyo, mga programa, ug panginabuhian sa mga Misamisnon,” Abucejo said. 

However, he admitted that under the current fiscal situation, the provincial government is unlikely to immediately rehire a sufficient number of job order and casual employees.