A DAVAO City councilor is pushing to institutionalize the Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) to fully operate according to its mandate.
Councilor Mabel Sunga Acosta, committee on peace and public safety chair, said she will pass an ordinance to institutionalize PSSCC as it is currently under the City Mayor's Office (CMO).
The councilor said since the center is still under CMO, they do not have its own organizational budget.
PSSCC head Angel Sumagaysay, in a separate interview, said their office is struggling to maintain their personnel's security of employment since most of them are only under contractual or job order.
Sumagaysay added their current structure also hinders them to hire more personnel.
"Sayang pud ning uban natong mga personnel. Ang uban manghawa nalang tungod hantod karon dili gihapon sila plantilla (It would be a waste of potential assets as some of our personnel would rather resign since until now they are still not part of the plantilla)," he said on Thursday, January 16.
He also said they cannot send their personnel to various training and seminars due to their employment status.
Having PSSCC under a separate department, Sumagaysay said, would give them additional budget to fulfill their mandate, which is to coordinate with different safety and security units in the city.
"PSSCC is a special project of the city mayor, which started as a small office. As a coordinating office to different government agencies, our function had expanded, especially we also serve as a special coordinating office, especially during big events," Sumagaysay said.
He also said their covered units had since included those city paid barangay tanods, Special Civilian Active Auxiliaries (SCAA), and the Bantay Bukid.
Meanwhile, Acosta said her committee also plans to create separate departments for the City Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (CDDRMO), and the Davao City Central 911.
The councilor said both offices have the same dilemma as PSSCC.
She said the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) requested her committee to give them ample time to study the proposal and create a draft organizational chart and budget.
Acosta said a committee hearing will be scheduled once the proposal will be forwarded to them.