Friday, January 05, 2007 Metran resigns as city engineer By Grace L. Plata
MEINRADO "Nonong" Metran has formally resigned as Davao City engineer and National Building official effective December 16, 2006 in a letter addressed to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Metran himself announced his resignation in an interview Thursday morning at the City Information Office. He said Duterte has accepted his resignation but added that they have not seen each other in person since he submitted his letter.
Although the duly appointed city engineer and building official, Metran had been often "frozen" and officers in charge (OICs) appointed in his place as he was a controversial city engineer.
Metran claimed that his aggressive style of management and the reforms he introduced in the City Engineer's Office (CEO) made him controversial and disliked by some personalities.
He said he had pioneered the computerization of the CEO which now has the unique CAT system (computerized attendance time-recording system), maximum mechanization of the motorpool, modernization of the material testing and quality control facilities, equipment rental enterprise system, and expanded and professional building inspection procedures.
But the biggest controversy in Metran's career in the government was the City Council roof deck project, which he claims was conceptualized before his time and he just implemented the plans when he assumed the office.
Metran also said he stands by his earlier findings of the roof deck's structural defects which he said was the reason he never signed an endorsement of the project to the City Government.
Metran was also the author of the "Road Network Development Plan" incorporated in the 25-year Development Plan of the city.
Leoncio Evasco Jr. still serves as the acting chief of the City Engineer's Office and deputized as building official but sources say Evasco is bound for retirement soon. Unconfirmed reports also indicated that Evasco was being courted to run for mayor in Calape, his hometown in Bohol.
