‘Unqualified’ new Cebu City assessor defended

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) Chief Dominic Diño yesterday defended Mayor Michael Rama’s appointment of an “unqualified’ city assessor following a revamp of department heads implemented at the start of the year.

He told The FREEMAN that lawyer Ferdinand Cañete, City Assessor’s Office officer-in-charge, need not to be a licensed real estate appraiser to head the office.

“Si Atty. Cañete, being an officer-in-charge (OIC) of the City Assessor’s Office is serving not in full capacity, kay dili man siya (because he was not) appointed; meaning, he is only taking charge of the affairs in a temporary capacity,” Diño said.

He said Cañete, being one of the City’s lawyers, is subject to getting additional duties and responsibilities, in this case to take charge of the City Assessor’s Office in a temporary capacity and is covered under the Civil Service Commission’s (CSC) “job rotation” rule.

The omnibus rules on the appointment and other personnel actions under the Civil Service law defines job rotation as “the sequential or reciprocal movement of an employee from one office to another, or from one division to another, within the same agency as means for developing and enhancing the potentials of people in an organization by exposing them to the other work functions of the agency”.

However, Sec.30 of the Republic Act (RA) 9646, or an Act Regulating the Practice of Real Estate Service in the Philippines, states that “all existing and new positions in the national and local governments, whether career, permanent, temporary or contractual, and primarily requiring the services of any real estate service practitioner, shall be filled only by registered and licensed real estate service practitioners”.

Diño said he was not really particular of the said provision.

“Everything is about civil service rules man gud.  They were the ones who approved the appointments. But this is not about an appointment but rather a designation. So nothing to disapprove sa civil service kay it is a regular appointment and is not an issue on performance of the function,” he said.

Diño stressed that what was mandatory pursuant to CSC Resolution No.1201367, which was promulgated on Sept. 20, 2012, is that the local or city assessor is required to have “five years experience in real property assessment work or in any related field.”

RA 9646 defines an assessor as “an official in the local government unit who performs appraisal and assessment of real properties, including plants, equipment and machineries, essentially for taxation purpose.”

Diño said that even if Cañete is the OIC city assessor, he cannot sign documents, particularly tax declarations.

 â€œIn any transaction nga mag-require og license dili gyod siya ang mag-perform; like signing a tax declaration. But, whether he’s licensed or not, it is for the practice of the profession, so he cannot practice the position but he can manage as OIC,” Diño said.

Diño said Cañete has the prerogative to call his personnel, especially those who are licensed real estate appraisers, to certify or evaluate assessments or even in terms of “revenue prospect of the City.”

“Naay mga professional sa office sa City Assessor ang mo-assess and mo-sign sa assessment papers. Dili si Cañete because he will only focus on the administration and management sa office,” he added.

Diño believed that the mayor did not violate any rules on reshuffling the City Hall department heads effective Jan. 2.

“In order not to hamper the delivery of services, it is incumbent upon the mayor if he needs somebody else to run the office as an OIC. There is no prohibition on his part to move people (around),” Diño said. (FREEMAN)