AS NEW names are set to join the administration of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, hundreds of casual and job order employees were told to start looking for other jobs as their contracts will not be renewed starting July 1, 2022.
Rama made the announcement during the city’s flag-raising ceremony on Monday, June 27.
Rama said these employees should no longer come to the City Hall on July 1 as they will no longer be given a renewed contract or an appointment paper.
The mayor addressed the casual and job order employees, telling them that
“[if] you do not receive any appointment, then you are not anymore hired.”
On May 16, Rama issued a memorandum to inform that contracts of all coterminous, casual and job order employees will expire on June 30.
The employees must undergo an evaluation to determine if they will still be included in the city’s payroll on July 1.
Under the memo, the employees were evaluated based on the following: “kawatan (thief), tapulan (lazy), hugawan (messy), intregero (intriguer), pala-away (quarrelsome), walay nahibaw-an (ignorant), dili mo bayad og utang (does not pay debts), and mo buko-buko (backstabber).”
Rama said he had already received the folder containing the names of the employees who will be renewed for another three or six months.
But the mayor added that he was yet to receive the names of those 500 employees whose employment will be terminated on June 30.
Even before he won the election last May 9, Rama had already made pronouncements about changes in City Hall after he became chief executive late last year.
After Mayor Edgardo Labella died on Nov. 19, 2021, Rama became mayor of Cebu City, being next in the line of succession as the incumbent vice mayor.
On his first day as mayor on Nov. 22, Rama announced that all regular and casual employees of the Cebu City Government would undergo an evaluation to determine the renewal of their contract from January to June 30, 2022.
During the victory party of Barug PDP-Laban on May 15, Rama said he would not forget those persons in City Hall who had turned against him and “stabbed him in the back.”
New appointees
The mayor also announced that he had appointed eight people to join him in his administration to lead key departments at City Hall.
One of his new appointees is architect Joseph Michael “Yumi” Espina, who will be heading the City Planning Department. Espina was formerly the dean of the University of San Carlos’ School of Architecture, Fine Arts and Design.
Espina will replace engineer Kenneth Enriquez as city planning officer. Enriquez, on the other hand, will now be reporting to the City Engineering Department.
The mayor also announced that world-renowned designer Kenneth Cobonpue will also join his administration.
Cobonpue, the outgoing chairman of the Regional Development Council (RDC) in Central Visayas, told SunStar Cebu that Rama has asked him to join his council of advisers.
“I hope my experience as a creative entrepreneur, designer, chief executive officer, and chairman of the RDC for six years can help him make Cebu a green and vibrant city again,” said Cobonpue.
Cobonpue added that several projects are already in mind that will “revitalize certain areas of the city in the field of infrastructure, culture, and the environment.”
Rama also appointed lawyer Jhonson Hontanozas to oversee operations at the City Legal Office.
Former Agsungot village chief Pastor “Jongjong” Alcover II was also tapped by Rama to take charge of the City’s peace and order programs.
Rama also appointed Ernesto “Boy” Herrera to be the mayor’s special assistant overseeing the Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention.
Rama also appointed Wyn Jagmoc to lead the Prevention, Restoration, Orderly, Beautification and Enhancement team. Jagmoc will inherit the position from Raquel Arce, who will be heading the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Arce’s old post of Cebu City Market administrator will go to Wendel Cenas, Rama added.