NEWS BRIEFS

Zambo cash aid under review

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama’s request for the P5 million cash assistance to conflict areas in Zamboanga city was referred to the City Council budget and social services committee for review.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, a Rama ally, filed a resolution authorizing Rama to give the cash donation to Zamboanga City to aid in its recovery efforts following clashes between the military and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) factions.

The donation will be taken from the city’s calamity quick response allocation of P60 million. Rama said he also tasked the Cebu City’s disaster management personnel and Dr. Pek Eng Lim to coordinate with the flood affected areas in Cebu City.

“If the damage is worse than Zamboanga then it (our donation to the flood affected areas) should be more than what we are giving to Zamboanga,” he said. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac

Rama miffed over bypassing of health workers’ complaints

MAYOR Michael Rama was dismayed over reports that some barangay health workers recounted their termination from service before the City Council last Wednesday.

“I am just a little bit disenchanted why things like that had to end up with the council.  That should have been brought before the executive for the mayor to solve it. If I met with them, I could have handled it well,” he said.

Barangay health workers Heldegardes Aba, Merla Abay and Virginia Estioca complained to the City Council during their Wednesday morning session that they were terminated from service last month without being notified.

Despite the removal of her name from the BHW master list, Aba said Pasil barangay chairperson Jocelyn Almacen asked her to continue her service. “I was only informed about my termination by co-workers,” she said in Cebuano.

Aba, Estioca and Abay said they were called by the former councilor and the mayor’s campaign manager Jose Daluz III last June and were asked if they campaigned for BO-PK candidates.

“They were not terminated, their appointments were not renewed. There’s a difference,” Daluz said. Like any City Hall casual worker, Daluz said health workers also undergo performance evaluation every six months. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac

Re-shuffling of police, Comelec officers

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Police Regional Office (PRO-7) will reshuffle their personnel today ahead of the Oct. 28 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Comelec-7 Regional Director Temie Lambino said between 20 to 30 election officers of Cebu’s towns and component cities will hold temporary positions for the duration of the election period.

The Comelec will release a list of these officers next week. They will resume their original posts after the barangay elections.

Supt. Paul Labra II, chief of the Regional Intelligence Division (RID), said some policemen will be transferred to other police precinct to avoid conflict-of-interest situations. Correspondent Chito Aragon

Rama amenable to hike in council advisors fee

IF the City Council’s legislative consultants will work extended hours like his own consultants, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he will allow an increase to P18,000 in their honorarium.

“The mayor works up to 10 p.m. and if I call my consultants they have to be there.  They are always on call unlike the legislative consultants who only report on Wednesdays,” he said.

Councilors approved during their Wednesday session the contracts of 41 consultants – 23 for the executive department and 18 for the legislative departments.

A question was raised during the session on why legislative consultants only get P9,000 a month.

Councilor Eugenio Gabuya said he intends to introduce a draft ordinance that will give the same amount to all city hall consultants.

Rama said the P18,000 honorarium paid to his consultants is too small since other consultants charge as much as P100,000 per month.

He said he was prepared to consider an increase in the honoraria of legislative consultants on a “case to case” basis and “if I can tap them as consultants for the city government.” Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac