Tuesday, October 31, 2006 Capitol workers, Talisay employees to have longer holidays this week
EMPLOYEES at Capitol and the Talisay City Hall are looking forward to a longer holiday during the religious observance this week.
The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) yesterday passed a resolution requesting Acting Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. to allow Capitol employees to work only until noon today.
Board Member Juan Bolo said they received seve-ral requests on this from provincial employees who want to go home to their hometowns to celebrate All Souls’ Day.
The requests were even taken up in yesterday morning’s meeting of department heads, said Bolo.
Board Member Victor Maambong told his colleagues that he does not see any legal basis for it as going home to visit the dead may not be considered part of their functions.
But PB Member Agnes Magpale said the purpose is also to decongest traffic, so perhaps they can invoke the general welfare clause.
To be safe, Maambong said they can make the request for the acting governor but “subject to the approval” of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Lani Abarquez, consultant for Sanchez’s office, said they called the DILG 7 and they were told that it can be done if the PB will pass a resolution.
Board Member Jose Ma. Gastardo asked if the local chief executive can declare holidays through an executive order, but his colleagues pointed out it is not a holiday they are pushing for.
Meanwhile, Talisay-nons who work for City Hall and private and public schools will have a two-day break from work this All Souls’ Day.
Although Malacañang did not declare Nov. 2 a holiday, they can still have time to visit the tombs of their departed relatives with Mayor Socrates “Soc” Fernandez’s issuance of a memorandum declaring it as a rest day.
In an Oct.31 executive memorandum 97, Fernandez declared Nov. 2 a rest day “so that all of us can continue the traditional visits to the different cemeteries to pay respect to our dead loved ones, relatives and friends.”
But City Legal Officer Aurora Econg said that City Hall workers are not entitled to any pay or additional benefits on this day as Nov. 1 is the only official holiday declared by Ma-lacañang.
Nov. 1, which is the All Saints’ Day, is already among the special holidays nationwide.
Econg said that Fer-nandez issued the memorandum in response to the request of City Hall employees that they be given time to observe the All Souls’ Day on Nov. 2.
But Econg said all employees are obliged to resume working on Nov. 3, a Friday, or else they will be marked absent from work. (JPM/GC)
