Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Lenten trip to Israel questioned
THE planned trip of Talisay City legislators to the Holy Land in Israel next month drew tremendous flak from rank-and-file employees of Talisay City Hall.
They consider it as another junket of City Council members at the expense of the taxpayers’ money.
In yesterday’s regular Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP) session, some City Hall employees told reporters to inquire about the group visit of City Council members to Jerusalem on April 1 to 9.
Allocation
The City Hall reportedly has an initial allocation of P100,000 for the trip.
But Councilor Shirley Belleza, the SP majority floor leader, denied that they will leave for Israel in response to the invitation of the Israel Government.
Mayor Socrates Fernandez recently arrived from Israel after joining a group of faithful who made a week-long pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
Belleza said that the mayor indeed received an invitation from the Israeli Government but they have to spend their own money for the trip.
Belleza stressed that they would not leave for a visit in Jerusalem at the expense of City Government’s funds.
Personal money
“We prefer not to push through with the trip because we have to spend personal money. It’s a different thing with the mayor’s travel because it had a sponsor,” she said.
The rank and file workers who grouped themselves as City of Talisay Employees Union (CTEU) have been asking for the release of their salary adjustments and shares of the collective negotiations agreement (CNA).
The CNA is to be taken from the savings of the City Hall’s cost-cutting measures for the whole year such as the surplus of vacant posts, overtime pays, office supplies and traveling or training. (GC)
