WITH several activities in Cebu City in the previous months, the year 2015 and the first quarter of 2016 have been a tough period for the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO).
International events such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings and the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC), among others, became a huge challenge for CCTO in traffic management.
Other yearly activities, such as the Sinulog 2015 and Mega Sinulog 2016, became an added load as well to the tasks of the traffic office.
This, aside from the everyday traffic that they need to manage as more big establishments, such as the SM Seaside City Cebu and Robinsons Galleria Cebu, which contributed to traffic, opened late last year.
But the sacrifices of the personnel of CCTO paid off when the traffic office was named as the outstanding department of the Cebu City Government during the awarding of outstanding employees Saturday night.
The event was part of the activities of the 79th charter day of Cebu City.
Cooperation
Lawyer Rafael Christopher Yap, the acting department head of CCTO, said the recognition is dedicated to all of their personnel who did not hesitate to give their selfless service to the public.
Yap was also a recipient of the mayor’s special award.
While Yap is thankful with the award, he added that the recognition also serves as a challenge for them to continue doing their best for public service.
Even before 2015, managing the traffic office has already been challenging, considering that preparations for the major events in the city began as early as December of 2014.
They had to plan out their budget to be able to respond to the challenges of 2015, which included the APEC, IEC and Mega Sinulog, among others.
He also gave credits to lawyer Rey Gealon, who is the current executive director of CCTO and Operations Chief Jonathan Tumulak, who co-managed the office.
Challenges
The Cebu Bus Rapid Transit, the continuing traffic problem in Banilad-Talamban area and dealing with the many new developments in the city have been the challenges they need to hurdle now, Yap said.
Traffic education remains to be a priority of the office, he said.
So far, they have been conducting traffic education in the barangays, particularly in the upland dubbed as “CCTO sa inyong Tugkaran.”
Hospital
Lawyer Rey Cris Panugaling also gives credit to all the personnel of Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) after he was recognized as the Outstanding Department Head in the Frontline Cluster.
Since January of last year, Panugaling was designated by Mayor Michael Rama to run the public hospital.
“I’m very happy because this award can motivate 518 employees of CCMC, I am their representative here and I think this will inspire them more. I’m really overwhelmed,” he said.
Managing the city hospital was also challenging for him considering that they’ve transferred to a smaller building after the original hospital building was damaged during the 2013 earthquake, Panugaling said.
Even if he is not a doctor by profession, he said he was able to successfully manage CCMC because of the help of the personnel.
When he assumed the post, he said, he had consulted all of them, including those low in ranks to solicit the best way to improve the hospital service.
Despite it, Panugaling said the hospital’s services improved.
Panugaling started his government service in Cebu City in 2009, and was then assigned at CCMC as administrative officer 2 and eventually got promoted.
In 2012, he was awarded as the outstanding section head.
More awardees
Other awardees were Engr. Dionesio Gualiza of Department of Public Services (DPS) as Outstanding Department Head in Support Cluster, Lucia Mahusay of the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) as Outstanding Assistant Department Head for Frontline Cluster and Loida Antonio of Management Information and Computer Services (MICS) as Outstanding Assistant Department Head in Support Cluster.
Raquel Arce of the Office of City Markets (OCM) was the Outstanding Division Head, Anecito Suico of DSWS as Outstanding Section Head while Boy Jumel Ejercito of CCMC, Nestor Bordalba of DPS, Gloria Labiste of City Health Department (CHD), Jounald Bautista of CCTO and Domingo Biongco of OCM were the Outstanding Rank and File Employees.
Mayors Special Awards were given to Rogelio Osmeña, Joel Dela Cerna, Diwa Cuevas, Ester Concha, Atty. Collin Rosell, Atty. Dominic Diño, Julie Ann Villanueva, Gina Jagmoc, Ceremedes Tindoy, Alsaphero Go, Dennis Navarro, Jordan Aznar, Roberto Varquez, Harold Alcontin, Guillermo Viola, Ma. Suzanne Ardosa, Juvelyn Montecillo, Belinda Navasquez, Atty. Jerone Castillo, Dr. Daisy Villa, Alvin Santillana, Elmer Labella, Simeon Romarate, Jack Rallos, Atty. Jose Marie Poblete, Engr. Apollo Dante, Grace Luardo and Marilou Alferez.