Rama to sack 2,500 casuals, asks dept heads to resign

ABOUT 2,500 out of 3,000 casual employees of Cebu City Hall won’t report for duty after June 30 following the re-election of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

Rama confirmed that he is only waiting for June 30 to replace the 2,500 workers whose contracts expire on that date.

“They are aware that their appointments will only be up to June 30,” he said.

The mayor assigned a team that will review the performances of each worker rather than delegating the task to the department heads.

“Before I would ask for their recommendation but not now. It’s a different ballgame,” Rama said.

Rama said he would also appreciate it if the six department heads who walked out of a meeting that he called before the election would submit their resignations so he won’t have to appoint them to new assignments.

“If they say that they would opt to already resign, I would be very glad,” the mayor said. Rama called for the meeting to ask support from his department heasd.

City Legal Officer Joseph Bernaldez already tendered his resignation shortly after Rama’s re-election and went on leave until the lapse of his June 30 appointment.

The department heads who walked out of the mayor’s meeting were Internal Control Office head Arlene Rentusa; Human Resources Manage Office head Evangeline Abatayo; Department of Manpower, Development and Placement chief Fidel Magno; Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries head Alice Utlang; and Acting City Treasurer Emma Villarete.

Rama said he was also waiting to appoint a new HRDO head to replace Abatayo so he could already finalize the renewal of appointments for casuals.  City Hall insiders said the list of casuals will be released starting next week. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac