THE Cagayan de Oro City Government is planning to implement a biometric system in all of its offices to efficiently monitor the working hours of the city hall employees.
City Administrator Teddy Sabuga-a said the system should ensure that the services rendered by the employee is accurate and the government is not cheated.
Government offices now use the biometric technology to track employee time and attendance instead of obsolete systems that rely on manually filling out a time-sheet or rely on time card punching.
Sabuga-a said by using biometric technology, the city is also streamlining its payroll processing and having more control on hours of overtime work.
“Ma-track ang status sa mga empleyado, kung nagleave automatic ug deduct (This will track the status of employees, if they are on leave, their salary will be deducted automatically). Hopefully this year we can put up the biometric system in all of the city offices,” he said.
“This is to ensure that the services required by law, particularly the 8 hour work hours are really delivered. It requires your physical presence, no more daily time record or logbook unless there are special arrangements between the employee and his or head,” Sabuga-a said.
The changes came after former City Councilor President Elipe and his sister who was employed in a “flexi-time” scheme, were convicted of graft charges for manipulating her daily time record (DTR).
Pristine Quizon's DTR made it appear that she reported for work during the dates October 25, 29, and 30, 2013 for the payroll period October 16 to 31 2013. But a travel record from the Bureau of Immigration showed that she has been out of the country during the said dates.
Elipe, according to the Ombudsman, that despite being fully aware of Quizon's absence, Elipe still approved and certified the DTR as true and correct, “making it appear that he verified the hours indicated therein.”
Sabuga-a meanwhile pointed out that the changes is not only implemented because of Elipe.
“This is more than him, this is about efficient governance at the City Hall,” Sabuga-a said.