BACOLOD Mayor Alfredo Abelardo "Albee" Benitez is resubmitting to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the consultancy agreement between the city government and three current non-elected officials of the Provicial Government of Negros Occidental.
Benitez, in a press conference at the Bacolod City Government Center yesterday, September 15, said there is no need for a bilateral agreement on cooperation between the city and provincial government regarding the consultancy function of the provincial officials.
Earlier, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz II, Atty. Valerie Ann Hollero and Dr. Mary Ann Maestral were hired by the city government as consultants.
Diaz is currently the provincial administrator while Maestral is Chief of Hospital of the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City.
Diaz will be the city consultant for Administrative Matters and Systems Review, while Hollero, Maestral and Gelvolea for Health Insurance and Healthcare, Health, and Hospital Concerns, respectively.
Aside from the three, Lucille Gelvolea, who is the head of the Economic Enterprise Development Department (EEDD), is also set to take on the responsibility as Special Projects and Economic affairs.
Benitez stressed that his working relationship with Negros Occidental Eugenio Jose Lacson "goes beyond any documentation (and) the trust between them is beyond any formalities involved.”
But during its session on Wednesday, September 14, the SP only approved the proposed consultancy agreement between the Bacolod City government and Hollero.
Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairperson of the Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government, explained that she (Hollero) is the only one who is not a current employee of another local government unit.
Espino said they decided to come up with an MOU that would institutionalize the bilateral relations between the highly-urbanized Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.
He said the MOU would include other areas of cooperation, and not just limited to the consultancy services initially sought with the three Capitol officials.
Asked about his reaction, Diaz said, Benitez will take care of the matter, as he urged everyone to be patient.
“He (Benitez) knows what he is doing. We hope that our allies will help with the wishes of our mayor," he said.
Diaz added that the possibility of forging an MOU between the city government and provincial governments rests on the wisdom of the governor and mayor since it's an executive prerogative and not at the level of the councilors.
The provincial administrator earlier clarified earlier that their services as consultants of the city are “pro bono” and “Gratis et Amore” for their love of the mayor and the people of Bacolod City.*