Reader picks on JVR

In an audit memorandum, COA pointed out that the city ran up a deficit of P47.92 million last year; another was that it allegedly failed to remit P8.4 million in taxes withheld from workers and supplies, as well as nearly P3 million in mandatory employees' contribution. So serious that the city's leadership should do more than just offer the excuse that these debts were incurred during the term of former Mayor Socrates Fernandez.

The Kapamilya Incorporated list includes his better half (the first lady), two daughters, three sons and their wives, two brothers, a sister, three nephews and a niece. A text circulated lately stating that in the previous administration, Talisay City only had Joavan Fernandez (in prison), son of former mayor Socrates Fernandez.  But under Mayor Johnny V. de los Reyes, Talisay now has many Joavans — relatives that they hired by the dozen, "kababayans" from Mindanao and members of his church.

Another Audit Observation Memorandum mentioned the offices of the Project Monitoring Team (headed by JVR Jr.), the Job Order Monitoring Team, the Flying Squad Task Force Patrol, the Text to the Mayor (which according to reports they cannot reply asap kay walay load) and the Mayor's Task Force.

These offices, according to COA overlapped with and duplicated the work assigned to the City Engineer's Office, Civil Service Security Unit, the City of Talisay Traffic Office and Development Authority, the City Health Office and the Talisay Rescue and Emergency Assistance Team (TREAT).

Mayor JVR said the offices he created were not meant to disrupt the provision of basic services, but to responsively, effectively deliver these to the Talisaynons."

I beg to disagree, the reason being that JVR wanted full control of City Hall affairs, so he created offices to bypass offices he could not.  A concrete example is his Flying Squad Task Force Patrol that clashes over the chairman of City of Talisay Traffic Office and Development Authority as his (JVR's) appointee, Vice Mayor, Lawyer Romeo C. Villarante.

Mayor De los Reyes found it necessary to create these five offices suggests a lack of trust in some of the personnel he inherited, or a large number of political favors to return.  More so he (JVR ) trusts only his son, John Yre de los Reyes and God.

Mayor JVR should live by example.  Walk the talk by slashing first the number of job order employees you have.  Heed the request of the city council to furnish its office a copy of the list of all your employees including consultants and confidential staffs.

Don Sangkay

San Isidro, Talisay City

7 May 2014