THE DEPARTMENT of Education management panel and the National Employees’ Union have finalized the details of the new Collective Negotiation Agreement.

The management panel is headed by Undersecretary Alain Pascua with Assistant Secretary Salvador Malana III, Assistant Secretary Malcom Garma, Director Roger Masapol, and Director Armando Ruiz as members. Atty. Domingo Alidon, DepEd-NEU president, heads the union panel.

“This is agreed in principle na ito ay noon pa naman ay magkakapirmahan noong May 1, pinolish lang ‘yung mga detalye sa provisions ng CNA,” Alidon explained.

The first CNA was signed in 2013 during the term of Secretary Armin Luistro. The second was signed in 2018 by Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa DepEd management dahil nga more or less tanggap ‘yung mga detalye na ibinigay namin sa management at ganoon din naman ‘yung kanilang request ‘pag nag-meet sa middle,” Alidon said.

He disclosed that the Civil Service Commission and the Public Sector Labor-Management Council plan to expand the CNA from 3 years to 4 years.

Alidon thanked the DepEd management for its continuous support to the non-teaching personnel nationwide.

“Salamat kay Secretary Briones sa tuloy-tuloy na suporta sa ating mga non-teaching personnel dahil sa mga welfare and benefits, privileges and political rights na mayroon tayo dito sa loob ng ating CNA,” Alidon said.

The CNA does not only cover monetary benefits but other benefits as well such as health maintenance, allowing non-teaching employees to participate in activities outside their workstations, among others.

“So this is a very good CNA right now, ‘yun ang mga improvements kaysa sa mga nakaraan. The non-teaching personnel throughout the Philippines would be happy on this,” Alidon said.

DepEd has more or less 60,000 non-teaching personnel nationwide.