When the lockdown was imposed in Metro Manila on March 15, the first week and the guidelines made apparent how the local government units (LGUs) would play a big part—if not the most grueling part in the implementation. Especially that of having to provide food to residents ordered to stay at home by the national […]
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“In the first place, it is unfair to charge consumers pass-on amounts for Meralco’s obligation to its suppliers. Secondly, averaging as a basis for billing is unreasonable and grossly and stressfully untransparent. Thirdly, Meralco cannot cite higher power generation cost because there have been no spikes in the global price of oil.”
By RITCHE T. SALGADO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — While residents of Metro Manila were relieved at the slight easing of the restrictive enhanced community quarantine which has been in effect in the region for two months, many were shocked when they received their electric bill from Meralco, unable to figure out how they could be relieved of the unexpected burden imposed by the electric company.
“I was shocked, I panicked,” said Elisa Banes, housewife, 52, of Bagong Silangan, Quezon City. “How would I be able to pay for this?” she quipped in Filipino.
Since the imposition of the ECQ, the primary source of income for the Banes family is their sari-sari store that is almost empty of stocks. Her husband used to drive a bicycle taxi (padyak), until public transport was banned.
She explained that their usual month-to-month electric bill do not go beyond P600.
“We received two bills from Meralco on May 15, they read our meter on May 12,” she said.
The first bill, she explained, is for their March to April consumption which is P1,375, while the second bill is for their April to May consumption which is P2,487, almost four times their usual bill.
In a statement, consumer network Samahan at Ugnayan ng mga Konsyumer para sa Ikauunland ng Bayan (SUKI) slammed the questionable billing of Meralco, calling it an added burden to already burdened consumers.
“Most of us have not even hurdled our way out of two months of lockdown that disrupted our work and incomes. Millions of Filipinos had – some still don’t have – work nor pay…. Meralco indifferently added to the burden and unbearable stress that consumers carry,” it said.
Meralco, however, insists that the May billing already reflects the actual electricity consumption of the consumer, stating that they have already adjusted the previous bill of their consumers which was initially estimated based on the three-month consumption average before the ECQ.
However, SUKI finds Meralco’s explanation “unacceptable.”
“In the first place, it is unfair to charge consumers pass-on amounts for Meralco’s obligation to its suppliers. Secondly, averaging as a basis for billing is unreasonable and grossly and stressfully untransparent. Thirdly, Meralco cannot cite higher power generation cost because there have been no spikes in the global price of oil,” it said.
House Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate agrees. In a statement, Zarate said that higher consumption as a reason for the spike in electricity bills is questionable citing claims of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte that there is “a downward trend in demand during the lockdown period.”
“Meralco rates should not increase because it has claimed “force majeure” among its supply contracts, meaning it will no longer pay its contract demand to its suppliers due to the COVID crisis,” Zarate added.
Bayan Muna Chairperson Atty. Neri Colmenares pointed out that since Meralco also owns an electric generation company, it is making profit from burdening already burdened consumers.
“In choosing its supplier, Meralco is not prohibited from looking for ways to favor its own generation company where it has a cross ownership. This way, Meralco rakes windfall profits as a generation company owner and as a distribution utility,” Colmenares said.
This, Colmenares believes, is because of the defective Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), which, instead of helping lower the cost of electricity, is actually helping electric companies, both from production to distribution, to rake in more profit at the expense of the consumers.
“That’s why it is important that we must review the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) and file new laws repealing Epira provisions that allow cross ownership between distribution utilities and gencos at the minimum or repealing EPIRA all together,” Colmenares said.
Meanwhile, Ronald Nietes, 34, who prior to the ECQ worked for an advertising firm in Makati said that despite his loss of income because of the ECQ, he has no choice but to pay the magnified bill that Meralco is charging them. Nietes said that without work, he is not receiving any pay, so he has no income in the last two months. He is the sole breadwinner in the family.
“I believe that there really is no change in our electricity consumption despite the ECQ,” Nietes said. “But there is nothing that we could do about the situation, we just have to look for a way for us to pay our bill.”
Both Nietes and Banes were not included in the social amelioration program of the government, this despite their loss of income because of the ECQ.
“At the onset of government’s COVID-19 measures that disrupted producers’ and consumers’ activities, SUKI has called on government to mandate zero-billing in all utilities and services,” SUKI said.
“These calls are all in consideration of the more difficult situation that consumers and small producers face due to the lockdown, a worse place than before the pandemic when they have long been paying the price of privatized utilities and services in terms of soaring fees and insecure supply if at all,” it continued, while at the same time urging lawmakers “to reconsider the passage of the Public Service Act (PSA) amendments,” which aims to allow entry of private foreign ownership of public services including telecommunications and transportation.
“Current utilities and services are already expensive, being commercially-run by local oligarchs and their foreign partners. Philippine electricity in 2018 was still second highest in Asia at Php8.96 per kilowatt hour (kwh) and water services increased by up to 879% since privatization in 1997,” it said.
“More than ever, we realize the importance of government regulation and public participation in running utilities and services, and the need to reverse their profit-oriented privatized operation,” SUKI pointed out.
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“Heaps of backlog in swab testing, slow release of test results, congested quarantine facilities, distressed OFWs, slow repatriation to provinces – will the government still wait for an outbreak before these problems are resolved?”
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Migrant groups are dismayed with the lack of preparation as government estimates that thousands of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are bound to return in the country.
In a statement, Migrante International lamented that in more than two months of community quarantine, President Duterte’s government still has no “comprehensive plan encompassing medical intervention and financial assistance for OFWs.”
During Duterte’s public address last Tuesday, May 20, Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez admitted that the present temporary quarantine facilities may no longer accommodate the increasing number of OFWs returning the country.
According to Galvez, there are 27,000 OFWs presently staying at government-designated quarantine centers and hotels. At least 13,000 OFWs have been cleared and were sent home.
The Philippine Red Cross, meanwhile, has tested 22,432 OFWs and 465 of them were tested positive for COVID-19.
Galvez said that an estimate of 42,000 more OFWs will arrive in the country in the next two months.
“Since the massive influx of OFWs back to the country has already been anticipated early on, there is clear criminal neglect on the part of the Duterte regime. It’s hard to forget the tragic fate that befell one OFW from Kuwait who committed suicide inside a temporary quarantine facility in Pasay City,” the group said in a statement.
On arresting OFWs
The group also denounced Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddyboy Locsin Jr. for calling on authorities to arrest OFWs who escape from quarantine facilities.
“It is such a shame that OFWs traumatized by their experiences abroad and in local quarantine facilities are now being treated like criminals by their own government,” the group said.
Migrante lamented that prior to the return of OFWs in the country, many of them have endured abuses from their employers. While coping with their trauma, Migrante said the OFWs also anguish over their loss of livelihood due to the pandemic.
Worsening condition of OFWs in quarantine facilities
The group also raised alarm on the worsening condition of OFWs in quarantine facilities. Based on Damayang Migrante’s online consultation and monitoring, COVID-19 has spread among the OFWs.
Migrante said this is due to the unsuccessful polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, violation of one-person-per-room policy, no widespread provision of face masks and alcohol, lack of systematic health monitoring and violations of social distancing measures.
The group revealed that nearly 400 OFWswere brought to the World Trade Center (WTC) and 10 of them tested positive for COVID-19. Only 15 of them had an early swab testing due to symptoms and the rest were tested the following week. Eight out of 15 came out positive.
Armand Hernando, chairperson of Migrante Philippines, said that due to lack of staff at the facility, OFWs had to take care of themselves such as preparing their own food and sending food to their colleagues. Toilets and shower areas are also lacking while water supply is also intermittent.
Hernando added that during the third week at the facility and the 14-day quarantine was completed, OFWs fear of the possible outbreak when ten of their companions were taken to Ninoy Aquino Stadium. As a result, they had to be swab tested again and transferred to various quarantine facilities in Quezon City.
This month, Hernando said they received incessant complaints from OFWs regarding quarantine facilities. Some have been staying over 14 days in quarantine facilities but there are still no COVID-19 testing. There is also no explanation from any government agencies. It reached to a point where some groups protested so that their calls will be heard, he added.
“Heaps of backlog in swab testing, slow release of test results, congested quarantine facilities, distressed OFWs, slow repatriation to provinces – will the government still wait for an outbreak before these problems are resolved?” asked Hernando.
Migrante said that OFWs deserve support they needed such as financial aid, psychosocial support, medical and transportation services. Without this, they said that temporary quarantine shelters are nothing but detention facilities.
The post Migrant group hits government’s lack of preparation for returning OFWs appeared first on Bulatlat.
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Total COVID-19 cases among health workers number to 2,330 as of May 20, after 15 new cases were reported. Yesterday, there were no new COVID-19 cases among health workers. Number of deaths went down by two again, with the DOH explaining that later validation showed that the four were not on active duty or were […]
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STATEMENT
Information is of utmost importance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reporting the people’s grievances and demands is the solemn duty of the media; it is not a crime.
The Guimba municipal council’s Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 52 s.2020 last May 11 empowered the mayor of the Nueva Ecija town to file criminal charges against radio network Radyo Natin Guimba (RNG) for alleged violations of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act of 2020 (Republic Act 11469) by reporting the complaints of residents over the implementation of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).
Prior to the resolution, RNG reported that a municipal councilor and son of the incumbent mayor confiscated RNG field reporter Lina Villaflor’s media identification cards issued by the Presidential Communications and Operations Office.
Earlier, on April 22, the mayor had written the station requesting a copy of the radio broadcast aired that day, stating that the “false and malicious” statements made by the commentator could be a basis for his legal action against the station.
This is a form of censorship meant to intimidate the media into either silence or reporting eventually and issues in a manner acceptable to local government officials.
Subsequent direct attacks against the station have been reported, among them the barring of RNG reporters from covering the sessions of the Guimba Sangguniang Bayan. On May 19, the local police again barred an RNG reporter from covering the distribution of rice seeds to farmers.
All these are in violation of press freedom, and were apparently in response to RNG’s reports on the problematic implementation by the Guimba local government of the SAP.
RNG reported that several residents had trooped to their station to air complaints on the “selective” manner in which the cash aid is being distributed—that the municipality and its barangay officials were prioritizing rich farmers over small tillers.
RNG also reported that the local police have prevented them from taking photos and videos of people who trooped to the municipal hall to complain about the SAP implementation.
As much as it is the constitutional right of the people to air their grievances, it is also the constitutional right – and the primordial duty – of the press to report on these issues.
Local government executives should keep in mind that that the current national emergency does not empower officials to silence dissent and curtail press freedom, both of which are essential to a functional democracy in which elected officials are duty-bound to defend the Constitution.
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“Mariin kong kinokondena ang patuloy na military operations sa komunidad namin sa Lianga, Surigao del Sur ngayong panahon ng pandemya. Itigil ang pangha-harass at interogasyon sa mga tao sa komunidad ng Han-ayan at Km. 16. Matindi ang nilalabag ng pulisya at militar sa iligal na pagpasok nila sa komunidad.
Sa simula pa lang pagdating ng mga militar sa komunidad noong Agosto 2019, ginulo na ang maayos at mapayapang pamumuhay ng mga kapatid kong lumad. Nilabag din nila ang mga polisiya sa ilalim ng GCQ–walang naka-face mask at walang social distancing.”
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Rome, 20 May 2020 – Regularisation, DL art. 103 has been published in the Official Gazzette.
Among the new features (compared to what was previously announced) we find that: the amount of the contribution for the employer increases from 400 to 500 euros.
The presence in Italy can be proved with all documents with a certain date from public offices.
translated from https://stranieriinitalia.it/attualita-sp-754/regolarizzazione-ecco-il-testo-in-gazzetta-ufficiale/
here is the text :
1. In order to ensure adequate levels of individual and collective health protection as a result of the contingent and exceptional health emergency linked to the disaster resulting from the spread of Covid 19 and to encourage the emergence of irregular employment relationships,
Italian employers or nationals of a Member State of the European Union, or foreign employers holding the residence permit provided for in Article 9 of Legislative Decree No 286 of 25 July 1998, as amended,
may apply, in the manner described in paragraphs 4, 5, 6 and 7, to conclude a contract of employment with foreign citizens present on the national territory or to declare the existence of an irregular employment relationship, still in progress, with Italian citizens or foreign nationals.
To this end, foreign citizens must have been subjected to photodactyloscopic surveys before March 8, 2020 or must have stayed in Italy before that date, on the basis of the declaration of presence, made in accordance with Law no. 68 of May 28, 2007, or certificates consisting of documents of a certain date from public bodies; in both cases, foreign citizens must not have left the national territory since March 8, 2020.
2. For the same purposes referred to in paragraph 1, foreign citizens, with a residence permit expired on October 31, 2019, not renewed or converted into another residence permit, may apply for a temporary residence permit, valid only in the national territory, for a duration of six months from the submission of the application, according to the modalities referred to in paragraph 16.
To this end, the aforementioned citizens must be present on the national territory on 8 March 2020, without having left the same date, and must have carried out work activities in the areas referred to in paragraph 3, before 31 October 2019, proven in accordance with the procedures set out in paragraph 16.
If, at the end of the duration of the temporary residence permit, the citizen has a subordinate employment contract or the salary and social security documentation proving the performance of the work activity in accordance with the provisions of the law in the sectors referred to in paragraph 3, the permit is converted into a residence permit for work reasons.
3. The provisions of this article apply to the following sectors of activity:
(a) agriculture, livestock and animal husbandry, fisheries and aquaculture and related activities;
(b) assistance to the person for themselves or for members of their family, even if they are not living together, suffering from diseases or handicaps that limit their self-sufficiency;
(c) domestic work to support family needs.
4. The application referred to in paragraph 1 shall indicate the duration of the employment contract and the agreed remuneration, not less than that provided for in the collective labour agreement of reference entered into by the trade unions and employers’ organizations comparatively more representative at national level.
In the cases referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, if the employment relationship terminates, even in the case of a seasonal contract, the provisions of article 22, paragraph 11, of legislative decree no. 286 of 25 July 1998, as amended, shall apply, in order to carry out further work activity
5. The application referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, shall be submitted from 1 June to 15 July 2020, in the manner established by decree of the Minister of the Interior in agreement with the Minister of Economy and Finance, the Minister of Labour and Social Policies, and the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies, to be adopted within ten days of the date of entry into force of this decree, at the following address
(a) the National Social Security Institute (INPS) for Italian workers or for nationals of a Member State of the European Union;
b) the one-stop-shop for immigration, referred to in Article 22 of Legislative Decree No 286 of 25 July 1998, as amended, for foreign workers, referred to in paragraph 1;
c) the Police Headquarters for the issue of residence permits, referred to in paragraph 2.
6. The same decree referred to in paragraph 5 also establishes the employer’s income limits required for the termination of the employment relationship, the appropriate documentation to prove the work activity referred to in paragraph 16 as well as the detailed procedures for carrying out the procedure.
Pending the definition of the procedures referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, the presentation of the petitions allows the carrying out of the work activity; in the hypothesis referred to in paragraph 1, the foreign citizen carries out the work activity exclusively in the employ of the employer who has presented the petition.
It is also provided for the payment of a lump-sum contribution for the amounts due by the employer for remuneration, contributions and tax, the determination of which and the methods of acquisition are established by decree of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy in agreement with the Minister of Economy and Finance, the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.
8. Ineligibility of the requests referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, limited to cases of conversion of the residence permit into a work permit, the conviction of the employer in the last five years, even with a non-final sentence, including the one adopted following the application of the penalty on request pursuant to Article 444 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, constitutes a cause for ineligibility:
a) aiding and abetting illegal immigration to Italy and illegal immigration from Italy to other States or for crimes aimed at the recruitment of persons to be used for prostitution or exploitation of prostitution or minors to be employed in illegal activities, as well as for the crime referred to in Article 600 of the Criminal Code;
b) illegal intermediation and exploitation of labour pursuant to Article 603-bis of the Penal Code;
c) offences referred to in Article 22, paragraph 12, of the Consolidated Act referred to in Legislative Decree no. 286 of 25 July 1998, as amended.
9. It also constitutes a cause for the rejection of the requests referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, limited to cases of conversion of the residence permit into work reasons, the failure of the employer to sign the contract of stay at the one-stop-shop for immigration or the subsequent failure to hire the foreign worker, except in cases of force majeure not attributable to the employer, however, occurring following the completion of procedures for the entry of foreign citizens for reasons of subordinate work or procedures for the emergence from irregular work.
10. Foreign citizens are not admitted to the procedures provided for in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this article:
a) in respect of whom an expulsion order has been issued pursuant to Article 13, paragraphs 1 and 2, letter c), of Legislative Decree No. 286 of 25 July 1998, and Article 3 of Decree-Law No. 144 of 27 July 2005, converted, with amendments, by Law No. 155 of 31 July 2005, and subsequent amendments.
b) that are reported, also on the basis of international agreements or conventions in force for Italy, for the purposes of non-admission in the territory of the State;
c) they have been convicted, even with a non-final sentence, including that pronounced also following application of the penalty on request pursuant to Article 444 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, for one of the offences provided for in Article 380 of the Code of Criminal Procedure or for offences against personal liberty or for drug offences, aiding and abetting illegal immigration to Italy and illegal emigration from Italy to other States or for crimes aimed at the recruitment of persons to be used for prostitution or the exploitation of prostitution or minors to be employed in illegal activities;
d) which are in any case considered a threat to public order or the security of the State or of one of the countries with which Italy has signed agreements for the abolition of internal border controls and the free movement of persons.
In assessing the dangerousness of the foreigner, account is also taken of any convictions, even with non-final sentences, including those pronounced following the application of the penalty on request pursuant to Article 444 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, for one of the offences provided for in Article 381 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
11. From the date of entry into force of this decree until the conclusion of the proceedings referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2, the criminal and administrative proceedings against the employer and the employee, respectively, shall be suspended:
a) for the employment of workers for whom the declaration of emersion has been submitted, even if of a financial, tax, social security or welfare nature;
b) for illegal entry and stay in the national territory, with the exclusion of the offences referred to in Article 12 of Legislative Decree No 286 of 25 July 1998, as amended.
12. In any case, criminal proceedings against employers are not suspended for the following offences:
a) aiding and abetting illegal immigration to Italy and illegal immigration from Italy to other States or for crimes aimed at the recruitment of persons to be used for prostitution or exploitation of prostitution or minors to be employed in illegal activities, as well as for the crime referred to in Article 600 of the c
(b) illegal intermediation and exploitation of labour in accordance with Article 603-bis of the Criminal Code.
13. The suspension referred to in paragraph 11 shall cease if the application referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 is not submitted, or if it is rejected or dismissed, including the failure of the parties referred to in paragraph 15.
Criminal and administrative proceedings against the employer shall in any case be dismissed if the negative outcome of the proceedings is due to causes beyond the employer’s control or conduct.
14. In the event that the employer employs, without prior notification of the establishment of the employment relationship, foreigners who have submitted the application for the temporary residence permit referred to in paragraph 2, the sanctions provided for in Article 3, paragraph 3, of Decree-Law no. 22 February 2002, n. 12, converted, with amendments, by Law no. 73 of 23 April 2002, article 39 (7) of decree-law no. 112 of 25 June 2008, converted, with amendments, by Law no. 133 of 6 August 2008, article 82 (2) of Presidential Decree no. 797 of 30 May 1955 and article 5 (1) of Law no. 4 of 5 January 1953. When the facts referred to in Article 603-bis of the Criminal Code are committed against foreigners who have applied for the temporary residence permit referred to in paragraph 2, the penalty referred to in the first paragraph of the same article is increased from one third to one half.
15. The one-stop-shop for immigration, having verified the admissibility of the declaration referred to in paragraph 1 and obtained the opinion of the Police Headquarters on the absence of grounds for refusing access to the procedures or the issuance of the residence permit, as well as the opinion of the competent Territorial Labour Inspectorate regarding the economic capacity of the employer and the appropriateness of the working conditions applied, convenes the parties for the stipulation of the residence contract, for the compulsory notification of employment and the compilation of the application for the residence permit for subordinate work. Failure by the parties to appear without justification shall result in the closure of the proceedings.
16. The application for the issuance of the temporary residence permit referred to in paragraph 2 is submitted by the foreign citizen to the Questore, from 1 June to 15 July 2020, together with the documentation in possession, identified by the decree referred to in paragraph 6 suitable to prove the work activity carried out in the sectors referred to in paragraph 3 and verifiable by the National Labour Inspectorate to which the application is also directed.
Upon submission of the request, a certificate is delivered that allows the person concerned to legitimately reside in the territory of the State until any communication from the Public Security Authority, to carry out subordinate work, exclusively in the sectors of activity referred to in paragraph 3, as well as to submit any application for conversion of the temporary residence permit into a residence permit for work purposes.
The applicant is also allowed to register in the register referred to in Article 19 of Legislative Decree no. 150 of 14 September 2015, by presenting to the Employment Offices the certificate issued by the Questore (Police Commissioner) referred to in this article. For the fulfilments referred to in paragraph 2, article 39, paragraphs 4-bis and 4-ter of law no. 3 of 16 January 2003 shall apply; the relevant charge to be borne by the party concerned shall be determined by the decree referred to in paragraph 5, up to a maximum amount of 30 euros.
17. Pending the definition of the proceedings referred to in this article, the foreigner cannot be expelled, except in the cases provided for in paragraph 10. In the cases referred to in paragraph 1, the signing of the residence contract together with the obligatory notification of employment referred to in paragraph 15 and the issue of the residence permit entail, for both the employer and the worker, the extinction of the crimes and administrative offences relative to the violations referred to in paragraph 11.
In the case of a request for emersion referring to Italian workers or citizens of a Member State of the European Union, the relevant submission pursuant to paragraph 5, letter a) entails the extinction of the crimes and offences referred to in paragraph 11, letter a).
In the cases referred to in paragraph 2, the extinction of the crimes and administrative offences relating to the violations referred to in paragraph 11 is the sole consequence of the issue of a residence permit for work purposes.
18. The residence contract stipulated on the basis of an application containing untrue data is null and void pursuant to article 1344 of the Civil Code. In this case, any residence permit issued is revoked under article 5(5) of legislative decree n.
19. By decree of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy in agreement with the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Economy and Finance and the Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, the allocation of the flat-rate contribution, referred to in the last sentence of paragraph 7, is determined.
20. In order to effectively combat the phenomena of concentration of foreign citizens referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 in conditions inadequate to ensure compliance with the hygienic-sanitary conditions necessary to prevent the spread of contagion from Covid-19, the competent State Administrations and the Regions, also through the implementation of the measures provided for in the Three-Year Plan to combat labour exploitation in agriculture and the caporalate 2020-2022, adopt solutions and urgent measures suitable to ensure the health and safety of housing conditions, as well as further interventions to combat irregular work and the phenomenon of the caporalate. For the above purposes, the Operational Table established by art. 25 quater of Legislative Decree no. 119/2018, converted with amendments by Law no. 136/2018, can avail itself of the support of the Department for Civil Protection and the Italian Red Cross, without new or increased charges to public finance. For the implementation of this paragraph, the Public Administrations concerned shall provide within their respective financial, human and instrumental resources available under current legislation.
21. In paragraph 1 of article 25-quater of Decree Law no. 119 of 2018, after the words representatives, the following words are added “of the delegated political authority for territorial cohesion and of the delegated political authority for equal opportunities”.
22. Unless the act constitutes a more serious offence, whoever makes false statements or certifications, or contributes to the act in the context of the procedures provided for in this article, shall be punished in accordance with article 76 of the Consolidated Act referred to in Presidential Decree no. 445 of 28 December 2000.
If the act is committed through the falsification or alteration of documents or with the use of one of these documents, the penalty is imprisonment from one to six years. The penalty is increased up to a third if the act is committed by a public official.
23. In order to allow for a more rapid definition of the procedures referred to in this article, the Ministry of the Interior is authorised to use, for a period not exceeding six months, through one or more employment agencies, temporary contract work services, up to a maximum expenditure limit of 30,000,000 euros for 2020, to be distributed to the places of employment concerned in the regularisation procedures, in derogation of the limits referred to in Article 9, paragraph 28, of Decree Law no. 78 of 31 May 2010, converted, with amendments, by Law no. 122 of 30 July 2010. To this end, the Ministry of the Interior may use negotiated procedures without prior publication of a tender notice, pursuant to Article 63, paragraph 2, letter c) of Legislative Decree no. 50 of 18 April 2016, as amended.
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