To avoid changes with shifting admins: ‘Standardize City Hall uniforms’

CEBU, Philippines — Aside from the plan to standardize the uniforms of traffic personnel, a Cebu City councilor is also aiming to institutionalize the uniforms of each City Hall department to avoid changes with shifting political administrations.

Following the council’s approval of a resolution urging the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) to adopt a standardized uniform for its personnel, Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover, the proponent of this resolution, is also aiming to introduce an ordinance implementing the same policy for City Hall departments.

Currently, Alcover said that the drafting of the resolution to standardize the uniforms for CCTO personnel, especially those manning traffic, is underway.

He reiterated that this initiative stemmed from various public complaints that people can no longer distinguish between a habal-habal rider and a traffic enforcer, which blurred the enforcer’s authority and respect.

“Kinahanglan gud as traffic enforcer, kailangan imong personality ka respetohan daan. Kay kung manita ka og mga driver nga inyong nawong, pareha rasad mo murag driver, imong personality, mura sad og driver, di ka kakuha og respeto,” Alcover explained.

Last November 20, 2024, Alcover delivered a privilege speech in which he expressed his intent to author an ordinance to standardize CCTO uniforms. He said that he was pleased when Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia supported his plans, although the mayor admitted that it wasn’t included in next year’s annual budget.

Alcover’s proposed ordinance includes two uniform types with Type A being the more formal of the two.

“Dili ng katong mga color-color kay makalibat man na sa tawo,” said Alcover.

He added that he would also suggest using only one color for the uniforms.

To implement the same standards and attention for the CCTO, Alcover said he will also include the City Hall departments, following an observation that these departments did not have standardized uniforms during the time of former mayor Michael Rama.

He added that this ordinance will also help employees identify which department they belong to.

“Kung musuroy kas laing department, mailhan ka. Kung gikan ka’s executive, mailhan ka kung diin ka gikan. So usa na sa akong giumol karon, nga nag-draft na mi’g ordinansa kay para bisan kinsa'y makalingkod, institutionalized na ang atong uniporme, dili na ilis-ilisan,” said Alcover.

He added that this is a response to the current situation in which each new administration at Cebu City Hall imposes a different uniform.

Alcover said that among the criteria and provisions will be that the uniforms cannot be changed, no matter who becomes mayor.

Once the ordinance is filed Alcover said they will conduct a public hearing to gather suggestions and possible designs.

“Ato ng atimanon unsay gusto nila, and then after that, duna nay ordinansa, di nana mausab unless usbon nila ang ordinansa,” said Alcover.

As for the traffic personnel who spoke about paying for their black uniforms, Alcover said that this is one of the controversies they are handling. He added that this may align with allegations of the monopolization of the printing of City Hall uniforms, which he has personally received.

He, however, admitted that he has yet to receive concrete evidence to support these claims and has instructed those who reported it to provide evidence.

“Kay ako molaban man ko kung naa lang ebidensya,” said Alcover.

On the uniforms labeled with "RMA", which stands for the Road Management Authority, Alcover said that these were not backed by an ordinance, and therefore their embroidery on the official traffic uniforms is considered illegal.

It was during the time of Rama that he announced the CCTO would be renamed to RMA.

“But supposed to be dili g’yud to angay nilang himuon kay illegal man to in the first place, ang dunay ordinansa kanang CCTO nga opisina g’yud sa traffic enforcers nato. Pero kanang RMA mao ta na ilang ipuli, pero wa pa man nay ordinansa, wa pa man na naa-approve, pero naghimo na silag uniporme, which is para nako di maayo, illegal man na,” said Alcover.

To avoid this, Alcover said that this ordinance might be the key to resolving the issue. — (FREEMAN)