CEBU, Philippines - The 562 personnel of the City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) whose salary experienced delay will finally get their pay after the City Council approved the P473 million budget for the Monthly Operating and Other Expenses, which is part of Supplemental Budget No. 2.
“Wala na’y problema,” said CITOM Executive Officer Rafael Christopher Yap when followed-up on the complaint of his men regarding delayed releases of salaries. Shortage of funds is said to be the reason for the delays.
The shortage, however, did not mean that the city have ran out of funds, only that the additional budget for MOOE had to be approved to augment funds to supplement for CITOM’s special account.
Of CITOM’s 562 personnel, 289 are assigned as traffic enforcers, 136 are parking aides whose job involves collecting fees from vehicles that park along the road, and 137 are engineering personnel and office staff.
When the city failed to release their salary on time, some of the CITOM personnel informed Rama’s critic, former mayor and Cebu City South District Rep. Tomas Osmeña, about the situation. Osmeña simply laughed at the report because the same never happened during his stint as mayor.
Sought for comment, a jeepney driver told The Freeman that he considers the news positive because not having money in the pocket always had the tendency to push traffic enforcers to corruption.
“Duna man gyu’y posibilidad nga kadtong mga traffic enforcers nga naapike na sa panggasto mopaspas sa pagpanakop og mangilkil sa ilang madakpan,” a driver of a Lahug-bound jeepney said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity and without having to divulge names, a traffic enforcer manning the downtown area confirmed that some of his fellow enforcers are engaged in illegal activities.
Several traffic enforcers were terminated last year because of numerous reports that they accepted bribes from drivers. – (FREEMAN)