THIS is one thing city officials might not have anticipated when they asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to devolve the Burnham Park management - that the Department of Tourism (DOT) will no longer subsidize salaries of park attendants.
Councilor Perlita Chan-Rondez, chairman of the City Council committee on tourism, said the city was taken by surprise when Tourism Secretary Ace Durano recently informed city officials that since the Burnham Park management has been devolved with the City Government, it should now be self-sustaining and assistance will be limited to the promotional and technical aspect in managing the park only.
Rondez said about 70 park attendants were affected. The City Treasurer's Office (CTO) initially paid for the July 1 to 15 salaries of the affected employees. The CTO, however, is concerned if this amount will still be reimbursed.
The City Council on Monday discussed in its regular session this concern of the City Government. Rondez said they want a clarification from the DOT in view of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s assurance that the P10-million annual subsidy will not be stripped off yet at least until 2010.
The councilor said the City Government will also ask the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) not to strip the subsidy yet, because of a pending bill in Congress, which aims at declaring Burnham as a national park.
He added that the city also wants to be clarified of the secretary's decision, saying removal of the subsidy requires a board resolution from the PTA. (RO)
