Newsbriefs

LEYTE FUGITIVE NABBED IN CEBU

FREEDOM was short for a female inmate of a jail facility in Palo, Leyte who was among those who took advantage of the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda and fled to Cebu.

Miriam Dasacada Garcia, who was facing human trafficking charges, was collared by policeman as she stepped out of a department store in downtown Cebu City after a prison guard from Leyte spotted her.

Prison guard Jeizen Rey Adona Udtohan who was assigned in the Palo Municipal Jail saw Garcia inside the store. He immediately sought the help of the Carbon Police Station whose operatives effected the arrest. /Correspondent Chito Aragon

CITY HALL SALARY DELAY HIT

The salaries of Cebu City Hall officials and some employees were delayed for at least two weeks while the city’s 2013 financial assistance to the 80 barangays amounting to P6.6 million each have not been released yet.

Councilor Margot Osmeña said delays in the salary of employees should be avoided because they have families to feed.

OIC City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas said delays was a result of the late processing of the payroll and has nothing to do with funding availability.

Councilor Osmeña raised a concern on delays in the release of their salaries in Monday’s budget hearing. She told Cuevas that while city officials, for example, are supposed to receive a weekly salary from the city, the amount was not transferred to her ATM account when she had it checked on November 3 and 6. Cash was only available when she had it checked again on November 16.

Osmeña said that her driver who is also getting a weekly pay also experienced delays in his pay. Reports, she said, also reached her office on delays in the payment of salaries of city government paid public night high school teachers. /Chief of Reporters Doris Bongcac

CCMC FUND-RAISING CARAVAN SET

The Cebu City government is organizing caravans to widen the scope of their “piso-piso” campaign for the construction of a new city hospital.

Public Information Officer Carlo Dugaduga said two city hall vehicles equipped with a public address system will go around the city to solicit cash donations from the public.

The city government has so far raised P7.6 million from its fund raising campaign.  The bulk of the donation is from Henry Sy of SM Prime Holdings who gave P5 million and Chong Hua Hospital which gave P1 million to the city.

“Ato pang gipalapdan karon ang atong “Piso Mo Hospital Ko” campaign aron mas mapadali ang atong pag tigum sa kwarta nga atong gi kinahanglan,” said Dugaduga. /Correspondent Edison delos Angeles