Can mayor’s consultants come along?

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama plans to attend a trade fair in Xiamen, China, from Sept. 8 to 11 but the City Council yesterday deferred approval of the trip amid questions about who of his travel companions should be funded by City Hall.

Four city councilors and three consultants are listed as part of the mayor’s delegation.

“Consultants are not employees. We don’t have to authorize their travel,” said Councilor Augustus Pe Jr.

The Chinese host government is shouldering travel expenses of the mayor and three companions. The other delegates have to be funded by Cebu City.

The three consultants are Jose Maria Eugenio Elizalde (property management and organizational review), Bo Varquez of the Cebu Investment Promotions Center (CIPC) and protocol officer Paul Hubahib.

“This investment and trade fair emphasizing worldwide economic cooperation is significant to the City in its objective for seeking international investment locators,” said a proposed resolution by Councilor Jose Daluz III, which seeks to authorize the mayor’s travel.

Daluz is one of four councilors who plan to attend the China trade fair with the mayor, along with Roberto Abellanosa, Sisinio Andales and Edgar Labella.

In yesterday’s legislative session, the council deferred action on the matter for a week pending clarification.

Labella said he could forgo his slot in favor of others who want to attend the international trade fair.

Councilor Margot Osmeña asked about Hubahib, the city’s consultant, on utilities and corporate relations. She asked how Hubahib became protocol officer when he is also a city consultant.

The delegation doesn’t include Alvin Arcilla, chairman of the committee on commerce.

Mayor Rama, who was invited by Xiamen Mayor Liu Kequing, said he saw no problem bringing along consultants.

“Consultants are not employees but they are part of the city,” said Rama in an interview.

The mayor said some businessmen accompanying them to China are paying for their own trip.

On the exclusion of Councilor Arcilla, the mayor said it was “not necessary” to bring the chairman of the committee on trade and commerce and that as mayor, it was his prerogative to choose who to bring in his foreign travel.

“You should bring people you are comfortable with. If you are not comfortable, why bring people on board?” he said.

It was not clear whether consultant Hubahib was replacing the former protocol officer Marlon Hofer.

Hofer was issued a memo directing him to report to the City Public Information Office under Carlo Dugaduga starting Aug. 4.