Cebu City Council probes barangays mayor’s office creation

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council is asking the Office of the Mayor to provide all barangays in the city the support it needs in the implementation of giving free medicines to qualified residents instead of creating the "questionable" Barangay Mayor's Office (BMO).

Under the executive order of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, the BMO in each barangay in the city is mandated to implement the giving of free medicines to qualified residents.

"The brunt of the implementation of the provisions of EO 1 is assigned to respective Barangay Mayor's Offices in each barangay. Said offices, however, were never created by law or previous executive issuances – the EO merely mentions, in passing, that its provisions shall be implemented by said offices," the council's committee on laws report reads.

The report was approved in the August 2 regular session of the council.  The committee, headed by Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, has noted that the BMO was never created through a law or executive order.

With this, he said the creation of the office is "highly questionable."

He mentioned the questions regarding its staffing pattern, findings, scope of work, and the issue on liability.

"Should there be any untoward incidents arising from the implementation of this EO, who would be held responsible – the City Mayor's Office, the Barangay Mayor's Office or the barangay?" read the report.

Garcia said it was not mentioned in the executive order that personnel under the BMOs should be accredited by Department of Health since it involves medicines and diseases of the residents.

The committee stated that the creation of BMOs will cause redundancy of powers since there are existing Barangay Health Centers and barangay health workers in each barangay.

Garcia cited a Local Government Code provision which states that one of the basic services of the barangay is to provide health and social welfare services, which include maintenance of a center.

"Volunteer barangay health workers, the barangays and their Barangay health centers are tasked with rendering said health care services. There is therefore neither need nor reason for the creation of the Barangay Mayor's Office, which will effectively exercise redundant functions," the report reads.

Also, Garcia said the creation of the BMO may supersede one of the functions of the barangay, which may be contrary to law.

Also, he said the executive order does not specify whether the BMO is under the direct control of the city or the respective barangay.  Garcia said the executive department should clarify the specific kinds of illnesses covered and the qualifications needed for the residents to be considered as beneficiaries.

"There is simply too much to consider in the implementation of the executive order for it to be implemented reasonably on its face," the report reads.

Osmeña is still on leave until August 14 for his annual medical checkup in Houston, Texas. (FREEMAN)