The Freeman

Cebu City gets new treasurer

- Odessa O. Leyson/BRP

The Bureau of Local Government Finance of the Department of Finance has designated former Cebu City accountant Arlene Rentuza as the new acting treasurer.

This was after the term of service of former city treasurer Veronica Morelos ended last Monday.

“Ms. Veronica A. Morelos is hereby instructed to turnover subject office to Ms. Arlene O. Rentuza together with, among others, cash, properties and equipment, books of accounts including cash books and accountabl­e forms and clear herself from money and property accountabi­lities as City Treasurer thereat,” read a portion of the BGLF’s order dated December 3.

With this, Rentuza officially starts her duties as the new city acting treasurer effective yesterday.

To recall, Morelos assumed office as the city acting treasurer from December 2017 up to last December 10 this year.

Morelos said his appointmen­t as treasurer before was just a temporary designatio­n in order to replace retired treasurer Tessie Camarillo.

“Actually, ang akong pagka-assign as city treasurer is just a reassignme­nt man and ang akong appointmen­t is city admin man as the assistant administra­tor for administra­tion mao man g’yud na,” she told reporters yesterday.

The purpose of the said reassignme­nt is not to leave the duties and responsibi­lities of a city treasurer unattended.

At present, Morelos is waiting for Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s order for her specific function in the City Administra­tion Office.

The BGLF detailed Rentuza as city acting treasurer for a period of one year upon the recommenda­tion of Osmeña last November 16.

The said order has also directed Rentuza to observe the provisions of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 and other existing laws, rules and regulation­s.

“…As well as the bonding requiremen­ts for local treasurers prescribes under Local Treasury Regulation­s No. 2-81 dated March 27, 1981 of the Department of Finance, and Treasurer Regulation­s No. 01-95 dated December 5, 1995 of the Bureau of the Treasury,” it added.

After being appointed as acting treasurer, Rentuza vowed to perform her duties and responsibi­lities well by duly collecting taxes from business establishm­ents and others.

“Primarily, we do what we are mandated to do which is to collect the taxes. Mao g’yud na ang primordial concern sa office. Of course, in accordance with the government regulation­s on disburseme­nt of funds, COA dictated policies and other pertinent laws governing the management of funds,” she said.

It is not the first time that she was appointed city treasurer as she performed the same task after Osmeña was reelected in 2016.

Since 2006, Rentuza has been serving the city’s constituen­ts. Aside from being the accountant in previous years, she was also assigned in Internal Audit Service Office during the term of former Mayor Michael Rama.

Meanwhile, Mark Jason Tirol will sit as the new acting accountant, he is the former division head of Financial Control Division. —

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