Newsbriefs

SUSPENSION

THE City Council secretary of Talisay City was meted a three-month suspension without pay for allegedly berating a machine shop operator.

The Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas found Emigdio Enjambre Jr. guilty of an administrative offense for “conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.”

Enjambre was warned by the anti-graft office that a “repition or commission of the same or similar offense would be dealt with more severely.”

The issue stemmed from a complaint filed by Loreto Powao, the manager and operator of a machine shopin barangay Tabunok, Talisay City.

On March 13, 2009, Powao said the respondent arrived in his repair shop and requested him to repair the bolt on the official’s Kia Carnival.

Later on, Enjambre allegedly got mad at Powao for welding the blot without seeking the respondent’s permission.

Powao said the complainant raised his voice and scolded him, saying “wala ka kaila nako? Wa gyud diay ka kaila kung kinsa ko. (Don’t you know me? You really don’t know me).”

The complainant said Enjambre called him “incompetent” and threatened to close his shop.

Powao said he was “greatly embarrased” with what happened.

In his counter-affidavit, Enjambre said the allegations were “twisted and fabricated.”

Enjambre said there is no legal and factual basis to hold him liable for an administrative offense because the complained acts were done not within his official functions.

But the anti-graft office said the offense for which Enjambre was hold liable “need not be related or connected” to one’s official functions.

“(It) tarnished the image or ingerity of his public office,” the Ombudsman said. /Reporter Ador Vincent S. Mayol

BE CREATIVE, TOWNS URGED

PROVINCIAL Board (PB) member Arleigh Sitoy of Cebu’s 6th district challenged the local government units of Cordova and Consolacion to be creative in promoting their town’s specialty.

Sitoy said Cordova and Consolacion towns should take the example of Mandaue City where they made their record-breaking “bibingka” or rice bread.

He even encouraged the two LGUs to be as creative as Mandaue in promoting its respective culture and arts.

“For sure, Cordova and Consolacion will take cue from Mandaue. Both local and government units can be as creative by coming up with the best menu for bakasi or the biggest sarok,” Sitoy said.

Bakasi, a Cebuano term for a type of fish is a famous delicacy in Cordova. The town’s festival was also named after the fish’s name.

While “sarok” is a hat made of bamboo and banana leaves. It is use to protect the body from rain and heat of the sun. It is also a livelihood project since before the Spanish era in the municipality. The town’s festival was also named after “sarok”.

Sitoy commends Mandaue city for being able to give importance to its heritage and history.

“My kudos goes to the local government of Mandaue. Seldom can we see local government units dig out its past with so much diligence and treasure in the open its heritage, with the intention of unifying its culture and arts,” Sitoy said.

“If by legal jurisprudence, children yet to be born and likewise dolphins can now have cause of action to sue, history can be kind to those who by sheer creativity promote arts and culture with the biggest bibingka,” he added.

A proposed resolution is authored by Sitoy and co-sponsored by former Mandaue City Mayor and now PB member Thadeo Ouano congratulating Mandaue City for its biggest “bibingka.”

This will be passed in today’s regular session.

Last week’s biggest bibingka making in the history of Mandaue City featured 1,321 pieces of the delicacy weighing a total of 5 tons.Mandaue City’s rice cake is 182 square meters in area with a diameter of 50 feet and thickness of three inchesTen metal drums were used as ovens.

The bibingka is set to break Korea’s record in the “Guinness Book of World Records” for the biggest rice cake. /Reporter Carmel Loise Matus