CEBU CITY WITHHOLDS ALLOWANCES OF TANODS, GARBAGE LOADERS

Mayor Tomas Osmeña says withholding the allowances of tanods and garbage loaders is part of the City Government's reevaluation as many of the workers are allegedly not performing their duties The executive department had allocated P115 million for the tan

The Cebu City Government is evaluating all barangay tanods and garbage loaders in the city, as many of them are allegedly not performing their duties. In the meantime, Mayor Tomas Osmeña has disallowed the giving of allowances to them, effective Feb. 1. He pointed out that the City is not obligated to give the workers a counterpart as their honoraria are provided for by the barangay, as stated in the internal revenue allotment. Each tanod receives P4,000 from the City Government, while a loader gets P5,000 per month. ABC President Philip Zafra, for his part, asked the executive department to revisit the policy direction.

Due to reported budget constraints, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has ordered the giving of cash allowances to all barangay tanods and garbage loaders stopped, effective Feb. 1.

Aside from this, Osmeña said the directive is part of the City Government's reevaluation as many of the workers are allegedly not performing their duties.

“We are in the process of cleaning the whole thing. It's (allowances) put on hold for now, but an internal group is in the process of getting the (workers') names and evaluate them. What we're doing is we're setting the tone and they can't demand,” he said.

He pointed out that the City is not obligated to give the workers a counterpart as their honoraria are provided for by the barangay, as stated in the internal revenue allotment.

Each tanod receives P4,000 from the City Government, while a loader gets P5,000 per month.

Osmeña admitted that one of the factors which led him to decide the withholding of allowances was the controversy on the uncollected pile of trash on Q.C Pavilion on Gorordo Ave. in Barangay Kamputhaw last month.

“Will we pay those who are not even collecting trash? Are we not entitled to clean up the list, like in Kamputhaw? Because we don't pay them, they won't collect the garbage. If we pay them, they still don't collect the trash. We'll have them replaced,” he said.

Despite the development, Osmeña assured that the delivery of basic services will not be hampered, especially the col- lection of garbage.

He also assured that the lupong tagapamayapa will still get their cash honoraria from the City.

Association of Barangay Councils President Philip Zafra, for his part, asked the executive department to revisit the City's policy direction as it would be unfair not only to the workers, but to the general public as well.

“Most of the barangays can't afford to pay the workers because of low revenue. Eventually, if they'll resign, it will surely hamper the services,” he said.

As to the reported lack of funding, Zafra said he'll discuss the matter with City Budget Officer Marietta Gumia as the City Council approved last December the budget for the allowances of barangay workers.

He lamented that it was even the executive department that al- located P115 million for the tanods and P50.4 million for the loaders in the annual budget for this year.

“I just hope that for the sake of public service, the City will continue to give the allowances. But eventually upon validation, that's when we'll decide to withhold it or not,” he said.

In Tisa, where he is village chief, Zafra said there are 20 tanods and 15 loaders receiving honoraria from the City Government.

He said the extra cash has been of great help to the workers as the barangay can only afford to give each tanod P1,000 and each loader P2,000 monthly.

Sought for comment, Gumia said the approved budget for the allowances for 2017 has always been the same in the previous years.

While she has yet to read the memo, she said her office will just follow the mayor's directive.

Will we pay those who are not even collecting trash? TOMAS OSMEÑA Cebu City Mayor