CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has reminded the City Hall department heads to be “prudent and conscientious†in hiring and renewing job order employees.
This after the head of the Prevention Restoration Order Beautification Enhancement, Raquel Arce, failed to present to the City Council for approval the necessary documents to support the hiring of 28 JOs.
“The offices should be conscientious when hiring and renewing JOs,†Councilor Margarita “Margot†Osmeña said.
Osmeña, chairperson of the committee on budget and finance, pointed out that these JOs do not have any employment contract with the city government yet.
The 28 JOs were hired under the drainage and flooding program with at least one year contract and salary totaling to P2.25 million. However, they are yet to receive their salaries from January up to the present.
Of the 28 JOs, there are 20 laborers and eight skilled workers with a daily rate of P300 and P320, respectively.
Arce has requested to charge P1,129,920 against the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses account for the salaries of JOs for the period of January to June 2014.
“Hopefully, with enough manpower we can slowly decrease if not eradicate all of these unlawful acts to put order in the city and build up a sound reputation that would encourage tourists to visit Cebu and make it their second home,†Arce said.
It was only on March 14 that Arce submitted a utilization request to the City Council to charge the amount to MOOE account, with supporting documents like project activity design, manpower request and certificate of availability of funds.
Osmeña said the city cannot pay JOs unless the pertinent documents are all complied with by the department head. “There is no legal basis to pay them without the documents,†she said.
“Dili lalim magtrabaho tapos wala pay sweldo. This would be a gentle reminder to all department heads to know the procedure for them not to commit the same mistake,†Councilor Mary Ann Delos Santos said. (FREEMAN)