ILOILO City – Hoping to make city government departments more efficient, Mayor Jerry Treñas announced he would be publicly calling out erring offices after every Monday flag-raising ceremony in front of city hall.
Yesterday morning was the start. Before officially opening the month-long celebration of the city’s 82nd charter anniversary, he chastised city government department heads whose performance did not satisfy him.
“Bitayon ta kamo,” boomed Treñas during a short program after the flag ceremony.
He called out several departments or their heads and, after ranting, said, “…and by the power vested in me as city mayor, I hereby declare the Charter Day celebration open.”
First to taste Treñas’ early morning ire was the City Engineer’s Office whose head, Engineer Roberto Divinagracia, is currently on leave.
“Clients are given a hard time getting building and occupancy permits. Mangita kita sang tawo nga maka-issue sang building permit kag occupancy permit,” said Treñas.
He also called out the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO). The Commission on Audit, he said, spotted irregularities in the financial assistance program of the department so he transferred such program to the Office of the City Mayor.
Treñas slammed CSWDO head Gene Garingalao for questioning the transfer.
“Ngaa kuno kuhaon sa iya? Ay, ano nga klase ini,” said the mayor. “Ikaw ‘ya, Gene? Pangimatyan mo na da ang financial assistance? Ano da ginabuhat n’yo ngaa pangimatyan mo gid? Kon indi kamo magtaha sa akon, palagyo kamo.”
Treñas also took potshots at the Office of the Civil Registrar.
“Kun gusto mo magpakasal nga wala na sang seminar kag indi ka na mag-tree planting, bayad ka lang P8,000. Kun mabayad ka, ang imo mayor’s permit kuhaon mo didto sa Zarraga ukon sa Leganes. Ano nga klase ‘ni?” asked Treñas.
The city’s civil registrar, Juncae Manikan, is currently on leave.
Treñas also called out the City Planning and Development Office chief, Jose Roni “Butch” Peñalosa.
“Butch, buligan ta ang pumuluyo. Mabulig ka sa akon ukon indi? Indi n’yo pagpabudlayan ang mga pumuluyo. Kita mo warehouse na ina dira tanan, asta subong indi pa pag-rekomendar sa city council nga ipakambiyuhan ang classification?” said Treñas.
Treñas vowed to improve city government services after winning a bitterly contested election in May. Contracts of job hires identified with defeated rival, former mayor Jose Espinosa III, were not renewed.
During a visit to city hall a few days after he won, Treñas announced he was giving department heads and other city government officials who engaged in partisan political activities during the campaign period a chance to exit gracefully by resigning, or he would be filing charges against them./PN
