ILOILO City – The Department of Finance’s (DOF) Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) is looking into the non-release of the salaries of the city government’s job hires.
“Ini-evaluate namin. If the result is dapat maswelduhan ‘yung job hires, magbibigay kami ng advice,” said BLGF acting regional Director Gilbert Gumabay.
The evaluation started on April 3. Gumabay conferred with Mayor Jose Espinosa III and City Treasurer Jinny Hermano.
The DOF ordered BLGF Region 6 to conduct a review after the city government sought the help of the Office of the President on the matter, said Gumabay.
Hermano refused to sign the payroll of 388 “excess” job hires.
Gumabay stressed the importance of having legal and reasonable basis in taking actions.
“Titingnan natin kung tama ba ‘yung action ng treasurer. Titingnan din natin ‘yung mga pertinent documents,” he said.
Gumabay previously took the position – when Hermano consulted BLGF Region 6 on the issue – that the city treasurer acted in accordance with “proper disbursement of public funds” when he turned down Espinosa’s order to sign the job hires’ payrolls.
The BLGF regional director’s letter to Hermano dated March 14, 2019, read:
“Your action on the matter citing the absence of cash backup for having exceeded the monthly number of job hires with pre-determined allocation in the year’s budget is considered by this Office as deemed proper and in conformance with the proper disbursement of public fund. We are therefore one in your stand to ensure that your duties and functions as the City Treasurer of Iloilo City to ensure proper disposition and utilization of fund is upheld at all times.”
This did not sit well with Espinosa. “Ngaa maintra ang BGLF? Iya ‘ni sang local,” he said.
Gumabay admitted yesterday said the first to have administrative supervision over Hermano would be the local chief executive because the city treasurer is assigned with the local government.
Espinosa had threatened to take legal action against Hermano.
Gumabay said, “Kahit sino pwedeng i-charge. They can come here for advice. Pwede silang pumasok and we will recommend some actions.”
Gumabay said they would also evaluate the budget that the city government is currently using, that is, if it is the re-enacted 2018 budget or only parts of it.
“We have no idea yet if full ba ‘yung budget reenactment or partial. Titingnan namin,” said Gumabay.
Mayor Espinosa partially vetoed the Sangguniang Panlungsod-approved 2019 executive budget of P2,318,992,692 in December 2018.
The partial veto covered items under Maintenance and Operating Expenses of the City Mayor’s Office except for Security Services and Project Dakip, and the salaries of casuals under several offices.
“With this partial veto, 2018’s appropriation for the same item would thus be reenacted,” City Administrator Hernando Galvez told Panay News last year.
The Internal Audit Service (IAS) Office reported to Espinosa recently that the city government has enough funds to pay job hire employees.
Collection for the month of January to February far exceeded the disbursement covering the period January to March 14, 2019, read part of the report prepared by IAS chief Atty. Joan Montaño-Pallada.
There are 3,687 job hires assigned to various officers at city hall, according to Councilor Plaridel Nava recently. He chaired the city council’s appropriations committee./PN
