BMO’s creation questioned; DILG 7 asked to investigate

THE Cebu City Council yesterday requested the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) 7 to look into the creation of the Barangay Mayor’s Office (BMO), particularly its function, duties and responsibilities, to determine if these replicate the functions of barangay captains.

Councilor Philip Zafra said the creation of BMO that allows private individuals to perform acts designated to elected barangay officials is highly questionable.

Zafra, who is the president of the Association of Barangay Councils and Tisa barangay captain, earlier questioned the move of Mayor Tomas Osmeña in allowing these private individuals to issue clearances and endorsements to residents as a requirement in availing themselves of assistance from the City Government.

He said the act is a clear case of usurpation of authority.

Zafra, during the regular session of the council yesterday, presented copies of documents signed by either private individuals or barangay councilors who are allied with the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).

He also requested Osmeña to consider the barangay captains as partners of the City.

Councilor Sisinio Andales, a member of BOPK, clarified that Team Rama members are not prevented from allowing their leaders in the barangays to assist their residents in any transactions with the City, similar to what BMO staff have been doing.

“This is City Hall at your doorstep also. These people functions based on the executive order (EO) on BMO issued by the mayor and they never questioned the legality as far as the EO is concerned,” Andales said.

Unless the EO is declared void, duties and functions of BMO staffs are still valid, he said.