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Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Hiring civilian volunteers a win-win solution: Tomas
Having civilian volunteers secure Cebu City Hall’s properties serves a dual purpose—they help us and we help them, said Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Osmeña, who just arrived from his vacation in Hong Kong, said in a news conference that the volunteers, who are members of the barangay intelligence network (BIN), have been doing a good job in securing the South Road Properties (SRP).
“They were already proven and the City has to test them again for increased responsibilities. They will be given allowances. We’ll be helping them because they are not employed. As we go along, we will increase their number,” he said.
The mayor said the volunteers can provide the City Government with information on the peace and order situation of their respective barangays.
He will see to it that they will later be hired as “waiters in bars and restaurants” that will soon be built at the SRP.
Initially, the City will give the volunteers allowances, rice and uniforms, which will be charged to the intelligence funds.
Firearms
Also, later some of the volunteers will be allowed to carry firearms.
“Some will be carrying firearms as part of the job but we don’t have the firearms for them yet. I can’t say how many, how long and how much,” he added.
The mayor lamented that the City Government is spending so much on private blue guards but “we are not getting our money’s worth.”
“As a matter of fact, they are the ones sustaining while the blue guards don’t bother to inspect the IDs of those entering the SRP and report the losses. They (blue guards) don’t follow instructions. They allowed the dogs to come in and they fish in Pond A,” he added.
Osmeña admitted that with the volunteers securing the City’s properties, the Civil Security Unit (CSU), whose personnel are under the mayor’s office, will no longer function.
Since the City hired private blue guards most personnel at the CSU are no longer functioning as security guards. Some of them were detailed to other offices.
“CSU practically doesn’t exist as a security unit anymore that’s why we have shifted to security guards. Now we shy away from the blue guards because we feel that they are not worth the expense, “ he said adding that his job is to see to it that the City’s money is well spent. (GAC)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 1, 2006 issue)
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