For exceeding her target, Cuevas gets BLGF award

‘The cases against me did not get in the way of work,’ she says

DESPITE the accusations against her, Cebu City Acting Treasurer Diwa Cuevas recently got an award for efficiently collecting the city’s real property taxes.

The Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) said Cuevas surpassed the City Government’s real property tax collection target in 2014 and has an efficiency rating of 129 percent.

In an interview yesterday, Cuevas said the City targeted to collect P800 million in real property taxes last year but her office was able to collect P103.2 million more, or about P900 mil- lion in taxes.

A certificate of recognition for Cuevas’ “invaluable contribution to the Revenue Generation Program and Treasury Operations of the BLGF” was given by BLGF 7 Director Herminigilda Garsula to the city treasurer last June 8.

Treasurers of all local government units and agencies are under the BLGF.

Cuevas said she is grateful for the award given to her.

“Nalipay ta kay makaboost sa atong morale. Bisan pag naa tay mga kaso, wala naka-down nato ba. Wala gyud ko madiscourage (The award is a boost to my morale. There may have been cases filed against me but I did not let it affect my performance. It didn’t discourage me),” she said.

Cases

Cuevas is referring to the 38 administrative cases filed against her by former mayor and south district congressman Tomas Osmeña in October last year. Of the 38 cases, 26 were filed before the Department of Finance while the other 12 were filed before the Civil Service Commission.

Osmeña sought the dismissal of Cuevas from office due to the 2013 audit report of the Com- mission on Audit (COA), whose findings on the City Government’s transactions and operations were unfavorable.

Cuevas earlier said that the COA findings have already been answered by City Hall officials, including her, when they had an exit conference with the state auditors.

Cuevas said this is not the first time that she received an award from the BLGF. In 2013, the same office awarded her for business tax collection efficiency.

For his part, Mayor Michael Rama welcomed Cuevas’ award, and said that it is “very good.”