Rama: No plans of replacing acting Cebu City treasurer

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama does not have plans of asking the Bureau of Local Government-Finance (BLGF) to replace Acting City Treasurer Emma Villarete even if her term of office is only up to January 17.

The Department of Finance, through the BLGF, cannot appoint a permanent city treasurer for Cebu City because the one who is officially appointed to the position – City Assessor Eustaquio Cesa– is still in the active service, although he is currently assigned to another department.

Villarete is glad that the mayor is not planning to replace her.

Villarete assumed office after then acting city treasurer Ofelia Oliva was stripped of the said position.

The mayor wanted Oliva to be city treasurer but the DOF officials reassigned Oliva to another position with the BLGF-7 regional office.

Rama said even if Villarete failed to meet the P5.3 Billion revenues to support the 2012 budget, he is satisfied with her performance.

The mayor said Villarete’s revenue collection performance may have been more had the City Council helped the executive department by giving him the chance to sell portions of the 295-hectare lot at the South Road Properties.

Meanwhile, Villarete announced yesterday that the city’s business tax collections as of last Wednesday afternoon has reached P36 million.

The law provides that those who pay their business taxes from January 2 to January 20 will not have to pay surcharges.

The city government is renting the SM City Trade Hall where taxpayers can pay their dues. –/MIT (FREEMAN)