Tuesday, July 03, 2007 Mandaue officials pledge cooperation
THE newly elected officials of Mandaue City are optimistic they can work together smoothly in running the city.
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes has only Jimmy Lumapas and Diosdado Suico as allies in the city council while Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna has eight councilors.
Cortes, who welcomed around 1,000 employees who paid a courtesy call yesterday, said some officials of the previous administration are willing to help him. He Serafin Blanco is one of those willing to work with him.
Blanco was the city administrator of former mayor Thadeo Ouano. At the end of Ouano’s third term, his son Thadeo Jovito Ouano ran but lost to Cortes in the May 14 polls.
In a separate interview, Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna, Jonkie’s running mate, assured Cortes of their cooperation.
Supporting agenda
“We will help the mayor achieve his agenda as we expect the mayor to support the Sanggunian’s agenda,” Fortuna told Sun.Star Cebu.
Fortuna, for his part, promised to give Lumapas and Suico committee chairmanships.
Councilor Victor Biaño, Fortuna said, will be the majority floor leader, Suico will be the minority chairperson and re-electionist Procopio Villanueva will be the president pro tempore.
Fortuna introduced all elected councilors to the staff and council employees, in a tour within the council office and session hall. He urged everybody to treat councilors equally and provide the necessary assistance, despite their political affiliations.
Cortes, in turn, promised not to block council projects for as long as it will benefit Mandauehanons. The mayor said he even offered his hand to the rival camp.
“And Blanco accepted my offer,” said Cortes.
He said Blanco was very professional in dealing with him and acting mayor Amadeo Seno when they took over the city when Ouano was preventively suspended. When Blanco accepted the mayor’s offer Cortes promised to accommodate him as part of his administration.
However, they will still discuss Blanco’s possible position in the present transition period.
But everybody, including Cortes ally lawyer Omar Redula, are now subject to performance evaluation and assessment for their possible hiring or rehiring, said Cortes.
Redula is being eyed as the next city attorney.
Evaluation
Cortes said they will come up with a list of possible department heads and discuss and evaluate who among them is the most qualified, before the mayor appoints them.
Lawyer Briccio Boholst, though, was already appointed city administrator and now heads the committee to oversee the transition period.
The Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue City (Team), which replaced the defunct Tedman, was already organized and is retaining some personnel from the previous traffic office.
Officials are considering Jomar Ostia and Chris Dotillos to head Team.
During the employees’ courtesy call yesterday, Cortes urged them to treat Mandauehanons, who seek help in their office, well despite their economic status and political color.
“We should always remember, mao sila’y nagpasweldo nato (they are the ones paying for our salaries),” he told them yesterday. (OCP)
