25 CH groups fail to show report

CEBU, Philippines - About half or 25 out of 57 special bodies and commissions at the Cebu City Hall have failed to submit on deadline a report justifying their operations as imposed by Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

However, lawyer Daisy Garong from the City Legal Office, who is assigned to evaluate these special bodies, said the 25 special bodies that failed to submit their accomplishment reports will not be abolished right away because they were created through an ordinance while others were created through national laws.

Specifically, they were asked to show their performance in the past 12 months, their approved resolutions, a record of the attendance of members, and resolutions allowing fund disbursement.

Garong said a new deadline will be imposed to those that missed to show their reports.

The special bodies that have not submitted their reports are the Coastline Management Board, Cebu City Rivers Management Council, Cebu City Septage Management Board, Cebu City Anti-Mendicancy Board, Cebu City Anti-Indecency Board, Accelerated Social Amelioration Program, Cebu City Anti-Drugs Abuse Council, Cebu City Private Sector Organizational Evaluation and Monitoring Board, Motorized Tricycle Regulatory Board, Liquor Licensing Commission, Committee on Decorum and Investigation of Sexual Harassment Cases, Personnel Selection Board, and Accreditation Committee.

Other special bodied that have yet to tender include Cebu Local Economic and Investment Management Board, Cebu City Medical Center Board, Task Force for the Protection and Welfare of Persons with Cancer, PLEB South, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, Police Coordination and Advisory Council, Waterfront Development Commission, Cebu City Tripartite Industrial Peace Council, Local Micro Small Medium Enterprise Development Council, Cebu City Local Price Coordinating Council, and Cebu City Youth Coordinating Council.

At least for now, Garong said she has not recommended for closure of the special bodies.

She, however, said there are special bodies that will be merged with existing bodies since they could exist as one special body. Two of the 32 special bodies that submitted their reports are likely to be merged with existing ones.

Garong said the executive department could ask the City Council to repeal the ordinance that created the special bodies.

Osmeña will be out of the city starting tomorrow until August 14 for his medication. Yesterday, the mayor did not hold a press conference with the media. (FREEMAN)