Delays in signing of appointment

DUE to delays in the signing of their appointments and processing of payroll, some Cebu City Hall casual employees in both the executive and legislative departments have not received yet their salaries for July 1 to 15, and they are worried about further delays.

Although Mayor Michael Rama signed the appointments of the employees, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) still has not approved them because it is still verifying the authority of Human Resources Department Office (HRDO) Chief Belinda Navascues to sign the appointments.

But a CSC official assured yesterday this is not the reason for City Hall's delay in releasing the salaries.

Some casuals from five offices complained yesterday that this would be the second weekend they would have to get through without their salary.

City Administrator Jose Mari Poblete said he had already signed payroll documents for several departments as well as the debit memo, a requirement for the bank to be able to transfer money from the City's account to the employees' bank accounts.

“If there are employees who still did not get their salaries. I would surmise that it's because of the processing of their appointments. That happens in the renewal of appointments. We expect delays. Of course, this is not intentional,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.

He explained that because he and Navascues have just been appointed by the mayor, they also have to make the necessary changes in the documents.

Also, they had to notify the banks of the changes in the signatories, and submit their specimen signature, which also added to the delay.

The city administrator, HRDO head, city accountant, city budget officer and city treasurer are the signatories in the certification of the employees’ appointments.

Rama said there are no more pending appointments in his office, but he still has to find out why some employees have not been paid their salaries yet.

In a phone interview yesterday, CSC South Field Office Director II Victoria Gabod said her office still has not approved the appointments because they have not received yet a copy of the appointment of Navascues.

The CSC has written a letter to the HRDO asking it to submit a copy of Navascues's appointment, so the appointment of some 3,000 casuals will be approved and released.

Gabod said they want to verify if Navascues has been appointed as HRDO chief, and if she is authorized to sign the appointments of the casuals.

“Without a copy of that document, we are putting on hold the appointment of the City Government employees because as a signatory of the appointment documents, we have to be sure that she was appointed by the mayor and is authorized to sign documents.

We can’t process the appointments of some. We have to prioritize Navascues’s appointment because she will approve the appointments of other employees,” she told Sun.Star Cebu.

Although he issued a memorandum order designating Navascues as HRDO officer, Rama said he could not recall if he has signed her appointment.

Navascues could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Gabod clarified that even without CSC's approval of the appointment of the employees, the City may release their salaries.

Remedy

However, if Navascues's appointment is not approved, the casuals' employment may be considered invalid.

“If her appointment is disapproved, we can’t consider as government service the work rendered by the employees, but they will be paid. We are still waiting for her appointment but whatever happens, we will find other remedies to make sure the casuals' employment is not compromised,” said Gabod.

She said it is part of her office's functions to make sure all signatories in the documents have been authorized by the appointing authority of a specific office or local government unit.

Meanwhile, Rama wants to be sure he can deliver his promises to Cebu City constituents in his first 100 days in office.

Rama asked City Hall department heads to be productive in the first three months.

Rama said all of the 21 department heads committed to support his administration following a focused group discussion.

The chiefs of offices promised to identify their priorities for the first 100 days and deliver them.

Rama had asked the City Council to approve two supplemental budgets amounting to P221.1 million to fund the projects he wants to accomplish in his first 100 days.

The City Council will probably tackle the budget next week since there was no session

yesterday due to the city’s Executive-Legislative Agenda workshop.

But Rama said with or without the budget, the programs and projects for every department should be implemented.

A department head will be asked to explain his or her failure to meet the targets.

To remind them of their obligation, Rama will ask the department heads to present their plans and activities during the flag ceremony. (LCR With ETB)

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph