Makati conducts physical audit to verify the existence of 'ghost' employees

MANILA, Philippines - Acting Makati Mayor Romulo “Kid” Peña conducted Thursday afternoon a physical audit of employees at the Makati City hall to finally verify the existence of “ghost” employees.

According to Arthur Cruto, acting head of the city’s Makati Action Center (MAC) and in-charge of the audit, said they wanted hard data to speak for itself on the issue of ghost employees. 

“The stronger the facts, the weaker the lies. In the same manner on how we ascertained to the existence of other ghost transactions, we believe a meticulous and transparent auditing process is the best way to unearth the truth on the issue of ghost employees,” said Cruto.

In doing the audit, city hall employees were made to record their biometrics using fingerprint scanners. Photographs of the employees were also taken which were then stored at a database.

After their biometrics and photos were taken, city hall employees then received their month’s salaries. Proxies were not allowed.

“If you’re a legitimate employee, the process will surely be trouble-free. However, if you’re a ghost employee and you attempted to personally receive your salary, you will be caught. If you try to use a proxy bearing a so-called special power of attorney document to get your undeserved earnings, unless you are down with a severe illness, you will cast doubt on the legitimacy of your employment status; worse, your substitute will be severely scrutinized and even penalized if proven working for a ghost employee,” Cruto said.

Cruto said on cases where employees have failed to show up to personally get their salaries for various reasons, they would be given a deadline to appear and have their biometrics taken.

He said failure to report and personally receive their salaries in the provided cut-of-date would put into question the legitimacy of an employee’s employment status. 

“Bakit ka matatakot na magpakita at personal na kunin ang iyong sahod kung ikaw ay tunay na kawani ng lokal na pamahalaan?” Cruto said.

Meanwhile, Cruto said the Makati City government is now also moving towards an automated payroll system.

Cruto said Thursday’s audit is also part of the process to allow city hall employees to draw their salaries from Land Bank of the Philippines automated teller machines (ATMs).

“The audit is a back-to-back process with the Land Bank to start recording the biometrics of all legitimate city hall employees and begin their transition into an ATM payroll system. The full automation of the payroll system will end the era of ghost employees since ATM accounts will only be available to legitimate city hall employees who can show sufficient proof of identification,” Cruto said.

Cruto added that the ATM payroll system will also provide tremendous relief to city hall employees.

“Even as the ATM payroll system is one of the best measures to protect the city’s coffers from future abuse, it will also ease the burden of our employees who have to wait in long lines just to get their salaries,” Cruto said.

“Ganito dapat sa Makati. Ganito na kami ngayon,” Cruto added.