Phase-out: Post offices in Camarines Sur undergo consolidation

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The ease of usage by cellphone text messaging and the internet has finally caught up the territory previously dominated by the post office, that of sending and delivering letters. Little did many surmised before that it could lead to something economically disadvantageous to some sectors. One government agency is slowly becoming the extinct “Dodo” of the internet era.

Now, twenty one out of 37 towns and two cities in the province of Camarines Sur have closed their local post offices operated by the Philippine Postal Corporation with the implementation of an executive order signed previously by former president Gloria Arroyo in 2013.

The move was an austerity program by the Department of Budget and Management more so wth government owned and controlled corporations that are not making money.

This was confirmed by Naga city acting postmaster Nenita Pan that many of the post offices were padlocked and grouped with strategic offices in the province.

Only four of the towns remain to have their own post office which include Goa, Presentacion, Ocampo and Buhi.

Postal personnel, including the postmasters, were retrenched, inlcuding the regional office in Legazpi city which is now merged in Laguna.

While this is a disadvantage for the existing clients of padlocked post offices, nothing can be done to remedy the predicament. In place of the regular postman, a volunteer resident from each town were contractualized to deliver mails at P2 per piece.

The postal office in Naga city now serves the towns of Minalabac, Milaor, Camaligan, Gainza, Magarao, Bombon and San Fernando.

The post office in Calabanga now handles mail for Tinambac, Siruma and Garchitorena.

Mails destined for Baao will be served by Iriga; Bato and Balatan by Nabua; Bula by Pili; Sangay by Tigaon; Lagonoy and Caramoan by San Jose; Pamplona and San Pascual (Masbate province) by Pasacao; Cabusao by Libmanan; Ragay, Del Gallego, Lupi under Sipocot.

This same predicament is not an isolated case as it is also being implemented in other provinces of Bicol and the country.

In other countries, like the USA, post offices are also closing having faced stiff competition from private companies.

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