Rama retains 90 percent of CH casual employees

CEBU, Philippines – Ninety percent of the 3,000 casual employees of City Hall temporarily heave a sigh of relief after Mayor Michael Rama renewed their contracts for the next two months.

Rama signed the contract renewal of the 2,700 casual employees after they have successfully passed the assessment of the Human Resource Department and their respective heads of office.

The mayor earlier ordered the evaluation of the performance of the casual employees wherein only those who do not fall under his description of "tapulan, ka-watan, hugawan, ug kontra administrasyon" will be kept.

Their renewal starts from August to September this year. During the period they will undergo another observation and will then be assessed if they deserve to continue serving and be renewed for another three months from October to December.

Atty. Mary Ann Suson, new chief of the Human Resource Department, said that they are rushing the process of employees' appointments so they can receive their pay soon.

But Suson said that it shall pass through other departments like the City Budget Office and the City Accounting which explains why there are some delays.

She however assured that employees' renewal of appointment for the month of July has been completely processed.

The rest of the employees are not yet renewed due to various reasons like some requirements that need to be ironed out, Suson said.

Suson refused to tell reporters if there are employees whose contracts will no longer be renewed.

Offices with employees yet to be renewed are the mayor's office and the city engineering office.

Suson said that as the newly designated chief of the HRDO, she is still assessing what she can contribute to improve the HR department.

She received the memorandum appointing her as the new HR officer last Wednesday but she was already assigned to assist the HRDO since Rama took over as mayor.

Suson first worked in City Hall last year at the city legal office but prior to her working in the government she was already an HR practitioner in a private company since she graduated in 2001. (FREEMAN)