Revision on proposed PopDev office pushed

The Department of Health (DOH) of Cebu City has pleaded for revisions on the proposed establishment of a Cebu City Population and Development Office.

These include placing the office under the City Health Department rather than the Office of the Mayor. A public hearing was conducted last Wednesday, January 24 on the proposed ordinance establishing the Cebu City Population and Development Office under the Office of the Mayor and thereby appropriating funds thereof, crafted by Vice Mayor Raymond Garcia. On behalf of Garcia, Majority Floor Leader, Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera, presented that the ordinance will undertake three major programs namely: responsible parenthood and family planning; adolescent and development program, and population development. During the public hearing, representatives of some departments were invited to present their position papers.

The first one to present was Engineer Miguel Jerson, Development Management Officer 5 of the DOH-Cebu City.

According to Jerson, they had already submitted their position paper on the ordinance last January 11, 2024. He commended Garcia for taking the initiative of creating the proposed ordinance adding that the DOH “fully supports” of. “While most of the programs, functions, and duties of the proposed population development office are currently performed by the Cebu City Health Department, still our office finds this ordinance very timely and relevant since a specific office shall be established to concentrate on the pressing concerns of population and developments,” said Jerson, reading the citation of their submitted position paper. He, however, said to further enhance the proposed ordinance, the DOH is suggesting at least three recommendations that are aligned under the universal healthcare law or the Republic Act 11223. Among those that the DOH has pleaded is to record integration of local health systems into the citywide health system. Jerson elaborated that such a method is “clearly” stated in the universal healthcare law. Pursuant thereof, he added, the proposed title of Cebu City Population Development Office was further recommended by DOH to be integrated with the Cebu City health department and not with the city mayor’s office. Aside from that, the DOH is also pleased with the revision of the proposed organizational chart which is also recommended to be integrated with the organizational chart of the Cebu City health department. “Again, the DOH respectfully suggests and pleads that foregoing recommendations be given favorable action otherwise this proposed ordinance is assailable for being violative of the specific provisions of the universal healthcare law, IRR,” said Jerson, still reading the position paper of DOH-Cebu City. In the same public hearing, Commission on Population and Development-7 regional director, Atty. Bruce Ragas, is hopeful for the passage of the ordinance saying that they had lobbied for it for a while now.

Should this ordinance be approved, Ragas said Cebu City will be the first metropolitan in Central Visayas to adopt the said ordinance. "We will also showcase this experience to the other big cities of Central Visayas," said Ragas.