CEBU City Mayor Edgardo Labella will appoint liaison officers in the barangays and phase out the Barangay Mayor’s Office (BMO) created by former mayor Tomas Osmeña.

The liaison officer will serve as conduit for the City’s 80 barangay to air their concerns and complaints to City Hall, he said.

He said he will issue an executive order on this.

The liaison officer is an employee of the City Government and must be a resident of the barangay where he will be working.

The BMO, Labella said, is redundant and a contradiction of terms. He said the mayor has jurisdiction over all barangays within his city or municipality.

“It is a contradiction of terms. It is not provided under the Local Government Code,” explained Labella.

When Osmeña assumed office in July 2016, he created the BMO as an extension of basic services of Cebu City Hall.

That same year, the City Council questioned the purpose of the BMO creation. (JJL)