HRDO clarifies policy on sleeping in offices: CCTO chief faces probe

CEBU, Philippines — The Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) of Cebu City Hall has clarified that employees are prohibited from using their offices as living quarters and are required to submit an internal memorandum if they need to stay longer for work-related purposes.

This clarification follows a social media post accusing Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) head Raquel Arce of “living” in her office at the South Road Properties (SRP). The post, which has since been deleted, prompted Arce to deny the allegations. She admitted, however, to occasionally staying late in the office when supervising deployments for major events.

HRDO chief Henry Tomalabcad, in an interview yesterday, stated that under Civil Service Commission guidelines, employees are expected to render service from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., although exceptions are made for certain offices with special functions.

“Kung ang nature sa function sa usa ka department, pareha aning mga bombero, ang bombero anha baya matulog sa opisina... kay nature na sa ilang trabaho nga 24 hours (function),” Tomalabcad said.

He emphasized that employees are not allowed to sleep in the office unless justified by their specific duties. For such cases, departments must submit a memorandum detailing their duty hours.

“Kanang matulog, kung duty gani ka, di jud ka matulog,” he added.

When asked about Arce’s situation, Tomalabcad acknowledged her role often requires extended hours, particularly during large-scale operations such as the "one-time, big-time" campaigns and traffic deployments for Misa de Gallo and Sinulog preparations.

“Tan-awon namo unsa makita, amo ning i-investigate... kay part man na sa trabaho sa HR, rest assured nga muhatag mi’g fair report,” Tomalabcad said.

Tomalabcad also noted that certain offices, like the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), operate 24/7, necessitating considerations for their unique functions. However, he made it clear that using government offices as personal living spaces is not allowed.

“Kung muingon ka nga gihimo na’g balay kana nuon di na sakto, nga gihimo nang balay ang imong opisina, di na pwede,” he stated.

The issue of employees staying in their offices has come under scrutiny following tensions surrounding the attempted return of former City Administrator Collin Rosell on November 8, 2024. A subsequent memorandum from current City Administrator Kristine Batucan reinforced the rule that office work must end by 5 p.m., except for approved overtime.

Tomalabcad explained that overtime work must be formally documented through a letter approved by the City Administrator.

“Kay di man pwede nga himoon og balay ang opisina, against the law na siya, kay ang tubig, kuryente, alang ang gobyerno mubayad alang sa personal, pero kung part sa trabaho, justified ra na sya,” he said.

Violations of this policy will be investigated, with appropriate sanctions imposed if necessary. For Arce’s case, Tomalabcad said the HRDO would issue a warning to minimize staying overnight unless directly related to her duties.

In a separate interview last Sunday, Arce denied living in her office, clarifying that her extended hours stem from the demands of her role, especially during events like Misa de Gallo and Sinulog.

She said there were times when her job required her to stay in the office beyond regular working hours.

According to her, she has permanent residency in Barangay Pardo, where her family lives.— (FREEMAN)