austerity measures, including pay cuts and workforce reduction.
“The bottom line is providing service with the least amount of cost [of operations],” Muna said in an interview. “We are definitely looking at austerity measures, and [we’ll] make our recommendations. In effect, we will implement what we need to implement.”
He said the governor’s directive requires CUC to operate within its available resources.
According to Muna, “Deficit financing is not an option for us.”
The new executive director said he has spoken with the division managers of CUC who, he added, understand that austerity measures may be implemented.
A few months ago, the governor required CUC to cut its employees’ salaries and implement austerity holidays every other Friday of the month, but these measures were not implemented after some of the agency’s personnel signed a petition asking the governor and the Legislature “not to harm public employees.”
The CUC employees also filed a grievance appeal, asking for “relief” from the austerity measures.
The appeal is still being reviewed by CUC legal counsel Edward Manibusan.
