News Briefs
Workers in Team Rama sorties scored
CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama was accused by the City Council of allegedly tapping job order workers to attend gatherings organized by his lineup in the city.
Councilor Noel Wenceslao cited the presence of these workers from the city’s demolition team and urban poor office in the gatherings during last Wednesday’s council session.
During the session Alvin Santillana, the operations chief of the city disaster management office, asked the council for additional personnel for their emergency response activities.
Councilor Alvin Dizon said Santillana should tap job order workers from the Department for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP). “DWUP has 50 personnel. Why not maximize them, they don’t have much to do anyway,” he said.
It was then that Wenceslao mentioned about receiving reports of job order workers from the Squatters Prevention Encroachment and Elimination DIvision (Speed) and DWUP who were spotted attending Team Rama gatherings.
Rama said he would call the attention of department heads on this. But Rama said even the council taps their office personnel to attend gatherings of the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK).
“Let’s not accuse each other,” he said. Rama said he made it a policy for City Hall personnel not to attend political rallies during office hours. He said they could only do so after work and they shouldn’t use City Hall funds for this purpose. /Correspondent Edison delos Angeles
Dad seeks gas station regulation
AN ordinance regulating the presence of gasoline and liquified petroleum gas tank re-filling stations is pending at the Mandaue City Council.
Mandaue City Councilor Demetrio Cortes Jr., who authored the proposed ordinance, said a 200 meter distance will be observed in building gasoline stations, bulilit stations and refilling stations in the city.
Cortes said the distance would ensure the health and safety of city residents and would be a requirement for dealers wishing to set up shop in Mandaue City.
“A lot of gasoline stations have been sprouting in the city like mushrooms and this will pose risks,” Cortes said. The councilor also proposed for regulation of fun runs in order to avoid traffic jams and hiring of additional traffic aides for the activity.
Cortes said fun run organizers should secure permits from the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) to arrange a rerouting of vehicles. /Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza
City hall workers told to shun drugs
CITY Hall will not renew the contracts of personnel who are using illegal drugs.
This is what Human Resource Disaster Office (HRDO) chief, Veronica Morelos said after receiving reports City Hall employees have tested positive for illegal drug use.
“Employees should set an example and it is required in our code of ethics,” said Morelos.
The HRDO however is still studying options if the personnel found to have been using illegal drugs is a regular employee.
She cited some reasons why there are employees who use illegal drugs. “Insecurity could be a factor. Taking illegal drugs could be their outlet especially those who can’t handle problems.”
Morelos said if the drug users were casual employees, their contracts won’t be renewed.
“For humanitarian reason, we will allow them to finish their contracts this month,” said Morelos.
The City Integrated Traffic Operations Management (Citom) had at least five personnel who tested positive for illegal drug use in a random test done lately. The test however is still subject to confirmatory examination.
HRDO is still waiting for the confirmatory test submitted by Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (Cosap) before initiating procedural action for termination.
“If the concerned employee is already a regular in City Hall, we are still studying the legal option and forward it to Mayor Michael Rama,” Morelos said.
Last May 21, a male employee from the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) also tested positive for illegal drug use.
Morelos said the drug tests can determine use of methamphetamine hydrochloride, popularly known as shabu. /Correspondent Tweeny M. Malinao
