Labella’s transition team reviews docs of past admin

CEBU, Philippines — The transition team of Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella is now reviewing the important documents that were turned over to them by the former administration.

City Administrator Atty. Floro Casas told reporters that they started examining the documents after Labella directed them to submit a report after.

“Actually karon, kanang mga kartona, mao na ang mga documents nga gisubmit nila during the transition turnover last Sunday and we’re going over those documents, sa karon nagprepare pami sa report nga gipangayo ni mayor,” he said yesterday. (Those boxes contained the documents turned over by the previous administration last Sunday. We are going over the documents and preparing the report ordered by the mayor.)

Casas said that one of their priorities is to examine the contracts entered into during the term of former mayor Tomas Osmeña to ensure that there were no anomalous and questionable transactions.

He did not elaborate about the contracts but cited that the garbage hauling contract and the operation of sanitary landfill in Barangay Binaliw are among those they are looking into.

“Wala pa’y specific kay ato man gud na gibantayan na mga contracts entered into the previous administration, ma-assure nato ba nga they are in order, naa’y mga purchases nga not overpriced,” he said. (No specifics yet but we have to scrutinize all contracts entered into by the previous administration to assure that these are in order and that there are no overpriced purchases.)

Apart from the contracts and projects of the former administration, other documents that were turned over to the present administration are Governance Assessment Report of 2018, report of the Commission on Audit, contracts and loan agreements, the comprehensive development plan, organizational structure, executive orders, and Full Disclosure Policy.

Other documents include this year’s annual budget, Statement of Debt Services, Annual Procurement Plan, Bid results on civil works, goods, and services, and consulting services this year, Trust Fund Utilization, Manpower complement, unliquidated cash advances, and report of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Fund, among others.

Casas vowed to bare the initial findings today as the transition team or the reviewing committee is likely to complete their analysis of the documents.

Aside from Casas and Labella, the transition committee is composed of City Attorney Rey Gealon and Chief of Staff Atty. Mary Rose Salvatierra-Lubino and the auditors.

The transition team was created pursuant to Memorandum Circular No. 2019-39, the DILG enjoins all local chief executives to create a team for a smooth transition to the newly-elected or re-elected local officials. (FREEMAN)