|
Thursday, July 27, 2006
COA rule good news for ‘casual’ collectors
Cebu City Hall will either hire permanent employees or upgrade 20 casual workers into regular collectors.
This way, they can apply for a bond with the Bureau of Treasury, as required by the Commission on Audit (COA).
City Administrator Francisco Fernandez said they have to follow the recommendation because it is what the law prescribes.
Aside from 18 bonded collectors, the City Treasurer’s Office currently has 20 sub-collectors without bonds.
Accountable officers are required by law to be bonded, to protect the government from losses in case of cash shortages.
Unless bonded, the casual employees could just disappear. Permanent employees, on the other hand, will think twice
because of the “substantial benefits” they will lose.
Section 101 of Presidential Decree 1445 or the State Audit Code of the Philippines states that “every accountable officer shall be properly bonded in accordance with law.”
COA said the 20 casual workers will not qualify for bonding, unless they are appointed as regular employees.
Fernandez agreed that having casual employees act as collectors is a serious problem that the COA pointed out as early as November last year.
Hiring them was “a policy decision” of the administration, he added.
“Our position is to hire casual employees, who are considered more efficient than regular workers,” he said.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña earlier expressed frustration over regular employees who are not doing their jobs. Although the mayor wanted to get rid of them, he could not because of civil service rules.
Casual workers, on the other hand, always make it a point to do their best so their contracts get renewed.
Fernandez acknowledged that the city’s traffic enforcers, who could be considered accountable officers because they issue
citation tickets to erring drivers, could also benefit by being made into permanent employees.
Told that Osmeña might not like the idea of hiring regular collectors, Fernandez said, “We have no choice, this is the rule on accountable positions.”
He said the City will be opening up positions to entice qualified persons to join City Hall.
Officer-in-charge Tessie Camarillo of the City Treasurer’s Office recommended the casual employees for permanent positions since there are vacant positions for collectors. (RHM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 27, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
