By Gemma Q. Casas
Variety News Staff

GOVERNOR Benigno R. Fitial issued a new memorandum on May 7 ordering the suspension of new government hires.
The hiring freeze policy was specifically designed for excepted service personnel who are hired on a contractual basis.
“Effective immediately, the hiring of all excepted service personnel is suspended by order of this memo. Given our projected shortfall and revised budget, our government can no longer afford to hire additional excepted service personnel,” the governor said in his memo.
Based on the fiscal year 2007 budget, the salaries of 4,927 full-time-employees in the government are budgeted until the end of September this year.
Their combined payroll was set at $135 million, which includes the 10 percent reduction mandated by the austerity holiday law.
Last month, the governor submitted a revised budget for FY 2007 reducing by as much as $20 million the government payroll.
The government projects a $30 million revenue shortfall this fiscal year.
In that same May 7 memo, the governor urged his cabinet secretaries and department heads to “continue controlling personnel costs and other expenditures.”
The Legislature has yet to act on the administration’s proposal to reduce the government’s current spending level from $193.5 million to $163.5 million.