ECHOING the sentiment of Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said Friday, September 16, that there is no need for a bilateral agreement on cooperation between the city and provincial government.
“The relationship of Mayor Benitez and the province goes beyond any documents,” Lacson said, adding that there is no need for those formalities since they both have an open communication with one another.
On Thursday, September 15, Benitez resubmitted 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 Provincial Government of Negros Occidental.
Hired as consultants are Atty. Rayfrando Diaz II, Atty. Valerie Ann Hollero, Dr. Mary Ann Maestral and Lucille Gelvolea.
Diaz is currently the provincial administrator, Maestral is Chief of Hospital of the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City while Hollero is the head of the Economic Enterprise Development Department (EEDD).
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.