Market office can hire workers without restriction?

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Budget and Management has confirmed that Economic Enterprises are not included in the computation of the maximum amount of personal services.

DBM issued the clarification in response to the inquiry of the Cebu City Markets Operations Division.

This could mean the Market office can hire more personnel it needs without restriction from the budget office.

DBM told the city that the market division is not an economic enterprise because it receives subsidy from the city’s General Fund. DBM also said there was no feasibility study on the markets as required in the Local Government Code.

But Dominic Diño, Assistant City Administrator for Economic Enterprise, said they can prove to DBM that the Market Division is an economic enterprise.

He said DBM did not consider the ordinance creating the Market Code, which already includes the feasibility study on operating the markets under the management of the Market Authority.

The Markets office manages 11 markets and regulates all private markets in the city.

Diño said it is not true that it receives subsidy from the general fund because its income is always greater that its expenditures.

Diño said the Market Division always gives a surplus. The subsidy that DBM might be talking about, he said, is when the Market office’s budget undergo the normal appropriation process where it appears that the appropriated budget for the markets is a subsidy.

He said the markets division always gives income to the city and not losses.

Diño said they will reply to the DBM communication to clarify the matter.

The Markets office is determined to hire additional personnel without being restricted by the 45 percent ceiling on personal service because the current number of employees is unable to support markets operations in full.

The market office plans to hire about 80 casual employees to serve as inspectors and enforcers in the city markets.

Arce said that ideally, each market should have seven to eight enforcers, an inspector and a market supervisor.

At present, markets here only have one supervisor with no staff supervising the operations. Only 20 market enforcers are available to respond to request of assistance by any market.

Some 40 personnel of the markets office are detailed at the City Treasurer’s Office where they work as collectors. — (FREEMAN)