Newly installed mayor’s first act: Fire casuals

RHODERICK Alcala announces his first official act as mayor of Lucena City: Terminate the employment contracts of 800 casuals in the city government.DELFIN T. MALLARI JR./INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

LUCENA CITY—Rhoderick Alcala’s first official act as mayor is to fire more than 800 casual employees of the city government.

Alcala, formerly vice mayor, announced he was revoking the employment contracts of at least 860 casual employees of the city government shortly after he was sworn into office as mayor yesterday.

Alcala, who took over Barbara Talaga, said it would be illegal for him to keep the casual employees who were appointees of Talaga. “In effect, they are terminated,” said Alcala.

He said, however, that he was asking the casual employees to submit their resumes to the new city administrator, Anacleto Alcala Jr., an uncle of the new mayor.

Alcala, member of the ruling Liberal Party, took over as mayor barely five months before the elections next year and after the Commission on Elections and Supreme Court unseated Talaga for an invalid candidacy in 2010.

Christmas gloom

Records at the city’s human resources department placed the number of employees under “job order” category at 856 and those on casual status at 13. All of their work contracts will expire on Dec. 31, 2012. Each had already received a P15,000 Christmas bonus last week.

Alcala’s move came as a shock to the employees. “All along, we believed that our employment contract will end on Dec. 31,” said a garbage collector.

“We expected Mayor Alcala to honor it in the spirit of Christmas,” he said.

A female clerk wept when she heard the news. “Mayor Alcala is unfair. He is un-Christian,” said the clerk.

Other garbage collectors said Alcala’s order was unexpected. “His order is not only shocking but also painful to our families because we will be out of jobs this Christmas season,” said another trash collector.

Most of the city’s garbage collectors and street sweepers are casual employees.

Illegal candidacy

Last week, Barbara Talaga lost her appeal at the Supreme Court against a ruling that unseated her for an invalid candidacy. Barbara substituted for her husband, Ramon, who in 2010 came to the end of his term limit but went on to file a certificate of candidacy.

The Comelec invalidated Barbara’s candidacy, saying it was as illegal as the attempt of Ramon to run for a fourth term. The Supreme Court upheld the Comelec ruling.

Alcala and Ramon Talaga are expected to square off again in next year’s elections.