‘Firing’ workers

Rama to sack 2,000 City Hall employees when second term starts

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young earlier said Mayor Michael Rama will fire 2,000 City Hall employees for supporting BOPK during the May 13 elections

THOUSANDS of Cebu City Hall employees may be affected by changes that Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama will implement when he starts his second term on July 1.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young earlier said Rama will fire 2,000 out of the estimated 5,000 City Hall employees for supporting Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) during the May 13 elections.

Asked about it, Rama said “firing” employees is a wrong term. He said if one is a casual employee, his or her contract will just not be renewed.

Asked if it’s really 2,000 employees who will be affected, Rama said he doesn’t know the exact figures yet, and added that it could even be more.

As in his previous statement, Rama said employees that will be re- placed are those who have supported BOPK in the May 13 elections.

It will also include, however, employees who may have supported Team Rama but are lazy in their work, have cases of graft and corruption, or those who are “inefficient in delivering public service” to the city’s constituents.

“They (employees) will have to be aware that (non-renewal or replacement) is going to be expected,” he said.

In his regular news conference yesterday, Rama said he already has people who are reviewing who are to be replaced or whose services will no longer be renewed at City Hall.

He, however, will not disclose who they are. He said they have been conducting their review while he was having his vacation.

Asked when the review will be finished, Rama said he doesn’t want to put a deadline.

“The final day will be July 1st,” he said. He said the renewal of contracts for casual employees will still be until June 30.

Asked to comment on Young’s earlier statement that replacing 2,000 em- ployees will only cause chaos at City Hall, Rama said the vice mayor is not his adviser.

“He is not the one managing City Hall. Don’t let them advise me because they have not been consulted. I have my advisers. But I will take that as an insight. Don’t worry,” he said.

In a related development, Rama yesterday said third-termer Councilors Jose Daluz III and Eduardo Rama Jr. will be active in the second term of his administration. Both councilors served as Team Rama’s campaign manager during the last elections.

The mayor won’t say though what positions or offices they will handle.

As to Team Rama members who did not win, Rama said he will check as to who can be placed at City Hall.

He said there is still a one-year constitutional ban on the appointment of defeated candidates.