ABOUT 300 applicants for jobs at Baguio’s City Hall turned an orientation session into a forum for their complaints.

The City Human Resource Management Office conducted the orientation last week to brief the applicants on the city government’s recruitment policies and procedures.

City Hall has 219 vacant positions and only 70 positions were published as of last May.

But the applicants took advantage of the occasion to air their grievances against city officials.

They told officer-in-charge and supervising administrative officer Christine Flores that some officials were playing favorites when hiring new employees.

Supervising administrative officer Edith Dawaten assured the applicants there will be no discrimination, saying the city government is bound by the Civil Service Commission rules and regulations.   

“The city government of Baguio has a higher qualification standard compared to the qualification standard under the national agencies,” said Dawaten.

Vice Mayor Edison Bilog gave the same assurance.

“Being the appointing authority in the legislative sector,  I select and appoint applicants based on the qualification of the applicant for the vacant position being applied for and this holds true with the appointing authority which is the city mayor,  in the executive sector,” Bilog.(Jho Arranz)