Rama defends personal audit of CH employees

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday defended his Human Resources Development Officer, lawyer Mary Ann Suson and her staff for conducting a personal audit and checking on employees of the City Council.

In a press conference, Rama said the move of Suson’s office was done upon his order to check on all employees not only from executive branch but as well as from the city government’s legislative branch.

Vice Mayor Joy Augutus Young, chairman of the City Council, said Suson’s move was not right because the council has its own inspector of personnel, and the inspection was done without permission from the legislative department.

But Rama explained that “there is only one government. As there is only one Personal Selection Board to select and that is managed by the secretariat of the HRDO.”

The mayor assured the members of the council that what he is doing will benefit the majority, adding that these employees will not be a 15-30 employees and they are not working in the house of the officials.

Suson already said that what she was doing is only for personnel audit and checking on “where the employees and where they are.” If they wish to go out of their offices, Suson said they have to secure a written memorandum or locators slip.

While Rama stressed that there was no “miscommunication,” he admitted that “courtesy” was not observed when the HRDO failed to inform the legislative of the move.

“It’s a matter of improving the communication. If they have disliked my department head, they should informed me so that I could take necessary action because I will be responsible for them,” Rama said.  (FREEMAN)