THE Cebu City Government is reviewing its delegation of people to head its special offices on whether they are organic or not.
This is based on the City’s legal opinion that only people who are organic personnel can head special offices.
Cebu City Administrator Floro Casas Jr., in an interview on July 7, 2021, said all the heads of the special offices in the City Hall, considering they represent the mayor, should be organic personnel of the City.
Casas said former head of Local School Board Raddy Diola is one of those affected.
The news about Diola having been “unceremoniously booted” broke out on July 6.
Diola was replaced by Melissa Reanne dela Cruz.
The changes that would be made came after the City Legal Office released a legal opinion that the mayor can only delegate a person to head certain offices, special bodies or committees if he is an organic employee of the City Hall.
“This practice of delegating someone as representative, head or chairperson on various offices, special bodies or committees who are not officially appointed or affiliated with the Cebu City Government runs contrary to the principle of public accountability…,” the legal opinion stated.
On top of this, Casas said, the heads also handle funds and programs on behalf of the mayor.
“They should be organic employees of Cebu City Hall for the purposes of accountability because the special offices are handling funds, programs in behalf of mayor,” said Casas.
Casas also said this is not a “loyalty check” among the employees of the City Hall, adding that the thrust of their governance is more on “fitness and merit.”
He also said the termination of Diola’s service is “nothing personal.”
Casas expects the services of other non-organic-employee heads will also be terminated in the coming days.
Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has created and convened about 30 special offices, special bodies and commissions since he assumed office in 2019. (JJL)