In a letter to the leaders of the Legislature, CPA Executive Director Edward M. Deleon Guerrero said CPA is an autonomous public corporation that generates its own revenues.
He said the austerity measure will affect the agency’s finances without realizing direct savings for CPA which does not remit to the general fund.
“Any savings realized or expenses incurred by CPA would never affect the central government. This is because the payment for employees and operations of CPA is outside of the general fund sourcing and any savings could never be remitted from CPA to the general fund,” Deleon Guerrero told Speaker Froilan C. Tenorio, Covenant-Saipan, and Senate President Paul A. Manglona, Ind.-Rota.
The CPA chief said the measure may also endanger certain grants appropriated for the agency.
“For example, there may be grant or other requirements of funding sources which compel the use of funds for personnel on a full-time basis for CPA. CPA receives substantial federal funding for programs and operations which greatly help it in its projects and requirements, saving the central government from having to subsidize CPA like it does for [the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.] and [the Public School System],” said Deleon Guerrero.
Deleon Guerrero said CPA has already implemented austerity measures which include reducing their personnel’s work hours to 72 from 80 every pay period.
