While saying he wants a more cooperative City Council, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama confirmed that he will reward allies with positions and drop contractual employees found to be “unproductive and backbiting.”
He also said he would rather wait for City Legal Officer Joseph Bernaldez’s appointment to lapse on June 30 to appoint a replacement than accept his resignation. “If he made that resignation, I will respect that,” Rama said.
Rama told reporters that he will introduce movements in the leadership of some city hall departments and sections to accommodate outgoing City Councilors Jose Daluz III and Edu Rama.
Daluz was the Team Rama campaign manager. “These are people who stood for me,” he said.
Rama said he wants a meeting with all the winners, including those from rival Bando Osmena Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) councilors before June 30.
He said it’s important for him to know what other elected officials would want him to focus on during his second term in office.
Rama said he wants a healthier working relationship with the council.
“Having better relationship (with the council) is a wish. It will facilitate in setting up programs in place. We have plans for the next three years,” he said.
Rama also wanted to sit down with department heads to discuss the city’s finances (see page 2).
He also brushed aside Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young’s appeal not to terminate 2,000 job order workers.
Young said the mayor should spare these workers especially those who supported the BO-PK.
“I will be the one to manage city hall. Don’t let them advise me because I have not chosen them to be my advisers,” Rama said.
He clarified that the six month contract of casual workers will end on June 30 and he has the preprogative to decide on whether or not to renew their services.
Rama said those who were lazy, unproductive and spoke ill of him will be the first to go.
“June 30 is the end of their contracts. I just want them to be aware of what to expect (in the next few days),” the mayor said. Correspondent Edison delos Angeles