Awards set for Charter Day; P10-T bonus OK’d

Four individuals, five institutions and a posthumous awardee will be recognized during the city’s 75th Charter Day celebration  tomorrow.

The awarding ceremony will be held in a testimonial dinner at the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug.

Mayor Michael Rama will also give a Mayor’s Award to six individuals and four groups and institutions for their contribution to Cebu City.

Rama chose not to  reveal the awardees names until the ceremony.

Removed from the list are the names of City Treasurer Tessie Camarillo and a school owned by a councilor.

To make up for it, the City Council yesterday gave Camarillo  a separate plaque of appreciation for her “cooperation” in last year’s budget hearings even  though the   mayor no longer recognized her as city treasurer.

Camarillo was with her husband, Margarito, her children and grandchildren when she received the award.

Teary-eyed, Camarillo said she was pleased with the award as it was the first time that she was given  recognition in her 10 years of service.

Also removed from the list of awardees was the Asian College of Technology (ACT) owned by Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa.

In a privilege speech yesterday, Abellanosa begged off from receiving the award.

He said a legislative award was not “the original intention of the nomination” made by the Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission (CHAC).

Mayor Rama did not accept the CHAC’s recommendation  saying it was inappropriate  and self-serving to award a  school owned by a councilor.

Abellanosa said ACT’s endorsement came from the Association of Barangay Councils because the school accommodated scholars of the city government and gave a  P50 million counterpart to the  scholarship program from 2010 to 2012.

Meanwhile City Hall employees had something to be thankful for as they will be receiving P10,000 as anniversary bonus.

The City Council yesterday approved  supplemental budget (SB) 1, which includes the bonuses.

City Treasurer Ofelia Oliva told the council  that the extra budget would be funded mostly from the  surplus funds of 2011.

Mayor  Rama said  he respects the council’s decision to give a plaque of appreciation to Camarillo but said she can’t be among the outstanding individuals recognized in the testimonial dinner  because this award is  for individuals not connected with City Hall who  significantly contributed to the city’s growth and development.

Rama said  Camarillo could have qualified if the council endorsed her for outstanding assistant department head awardee.

Rama also clarified that removing Camarillo and ACT from the list was not his decision but was made by CHAC members during their Feb. 14 meeting.

An irate Rama stressed that under  the guidelines, CHAC recommends the list of awardees and submits this to the council and the mayor for approval. /With Edison de los Angeles