Newsbriefs

CUEVAS SEEKS TO RETAIN ACCOUNTANT’S POST

CAN a department head occupy two positions at the same time?

Majority of the Cebu City Council didn’t think so as they deferred Diwa Cuevas’ appointment as City Accountant until her appointment as acting City Treasurer ends.

Cuevas asked the council to approve her appointment as City Accountant which would pay her P14,000 more than her salary as acting City Treasurer.

“But we are confused because you are the acting treasurer and will be acting on a permanent capacity as city accountant?” said Councilor Margot Osmeña, chairperson of the council’s budget and appropriations committee.

Cuevas said she applied as city accountant and was hired even before she received her appointment as acting city treasurer from Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima.

Cuevas will serve as city treasurer for the next six months starting Oct. 3 while Asst. City Accountant Josefina Gonzales will reportedly assume her post.

Cuevas said she received verbal approval from the Commission on Audit (COA) to help reconcile the city’s book of accounts. But Councilor Alvin Dizon said Cuevas should have a written COA approval.

Mayor Michael Rama said Cuevas will continue to be his city accountant even in the absence of concurrence from the City Council.

“It is not right for the council to become a Commission on Appointments,” he said. / Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac

’HOT RICE’ AUCTION ON SEPT. 18

A FINAL public auction of the smuggled rice will be held by the Bureau of Customs next Wednesday, Sept. 18.

Cebu District Collector Edward dela Cuesta said this auction is the biggest since it involves 491 container vans containing 225,000 sacks of rice.

He said the amount per sack depends on the quality of the rice. “We can sell each sack of rice at P1,280.00, P1,350.00 or P1,400.00 depending on the quality,” he said.

Dela Cuesta said he expects more bidders to participate in the last public auction. The government earned P9.1 million after it auctioned 336 container vans of smuggled rice. / Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag

NFA MONITORING RICE HOARDING IN REGION

THE National Food Authority in Central Visayas (NFA-7) said they are monitoring the region for reports of rice hoarding as the country’s lean season comes to an end.

NFA Provincial Manager Nestor Alcoseba said there are some commercial rice traders who may hoard their supply less than a month to harvest season.

He said the region has more than 900,000 sacks of rice to meet the demand.

The Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas (DA-7) said they haven’t seen any increase in rice prices so far.

Mary Jean Du, DA-7 rice program staffer, said farmers in the northern part of Cebu will harvest this month while most farmers in Negros Oriental and Bohol will be harvesting at the end of October. / Correspondent Carine M. Asutilla

Don’t buy from ambulant vendors, public warned

HEALTH authorities yesterday warned the public against buying counterfeit generic medicine from ambulant vendors.

“Because generic medicines are sold at a lesser price, the public should not carelessly buy from ambulant peddlers but only at legitimate outlets,” Regional Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas of the Department of Health (DOH) said.

He said retail drugstores commonly violate the merchandising of counterfeited drugs such as paracetamols and pain killers that does not meet the standard content of the active component requirement of at least 95 percent.

Bernadas said the public should buy quality generic medicines from pharmacies issued with a certificate of Good Manufacturing Practice by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA).

Consumers can refer to the updated list of accredited manufacturers provided by the FDA in their website www.fda.gov.ph and the list found in drugstores.

Violators of Republic Act 8203 or the Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs may be jailed and fined P100,000. / UP Cebu Intern Christine Estrella