QUEZON CITY, Aug. 21 — Despite the restriction to create public gatherings caused by the pandemic Coronavirus disease-2019, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and DAR Employees Association (DAREA), with officials and members coming from various provinces, still managed to hold its 7th Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) through the virtual signing of the documents on Tuesday, August 18, 2020.
DAR Secretary John Castriciones signed the CNA as witnessed by DAR officials and other employees all over the country through Microsoft Teams applications.
The CNA is a contract negotiation agreement between the DAR management and its employees, which grants incentives to employees in recognition of their efforts in accomplishing and attaining performance targets at lesser cost and through efficient operations.
Castriciones said the CNA’s purpose is not just to motivate the DAR personnel to do their best, but also to reward them with incentives for their extraordinary performances in successfully accomplishing their jobs.
“This pandemic disrupted our functions, tasks, and goals to help our farmers. Yet, we did not stop and yield despite the challenges because the DAR employees did everything to look after the welfare of the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs),” Castriciones said.
The Secretary revealed that he was able to reach out to the ARBs in the far-flung areas through the effort of the DAR employees in various provinces which prompted Support Services Office (SSO) Undersecretary Emily Padilla to give the DAR employees a monicker as “DAR LING-kod” for the extraordinary assistance they provide.
“The employees’ efforts touch my heart and I am not the only one who felt it, because every time we go around in the countryside to provide support to our ARBs, I see tears in their eyes bringing hope in the midst of these trying times,” Castriciones added.
Meanwhile, Undersecretary for Finance, Management and Administration Office Lucius Jun Jun Malsi congratulated the DAREA for successfully crafting the CNA.
“The CNA is six-months in the making because of the pandemic. Thanks to the guidance of our Secretary to the negotiating panels and for always reminding us to look after the welfare of the employees to give them the incentives to the fullest possible as long as it is valid, legal, and allowable by law,” Malsi said.
DAREA National President Jocelyn Chua from DAR Northern Mindanao Region, on the other hand, said that the key to a successful negotiation is communication. “The management and the association may have disagreed on some things, but at the end of the day we all think about the welfare of the employees for the purpose of making a joint and mutual decision,” she added.(DAR)
