3 City Hall employees authorized to sign documents for mayor

CEBU, Philippines -  For faster transactions, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has authorized three City Hall employees to sign certain documents on his behalf.

In a separate memorandum, Osmeña authorized City Administrator Veronica Morelos, Human Resource Development Office head Marie Velle Abella, and Executive Assistant to the mayor Francisco "Bimbo" Fernandez to sign documents on his behalf.

"In the exigency of service, effective immediately, you are hereby authorized to sign documents for and on my behalf," the August 18-memo reads.

Osmeña authorized Morelos to sign documents on: advice of allotment, work and financial plan, summary of financial and physical performance target, detailed financial and physical performance target, and approval of withdrawal of cash bonds.

Abella has been authorized by the mayor to sign the documents on the city's application for Government Service Insurance System Insurance benefits for newly hired employees while Fernandez is authorized to sign documents on special permits on liquor, streamers, billboards, micro-business enterprise, and hauling permit.

Fernandez is also assigned to sign business permits, approval of voucher for subsidy to special accounts (Cebu City Resource Management and Development Center, Cebu City Medical Center) approval of voucher for payment of financial assistance including medical and burial assistance, approval of voucher for payment of infrastructure projects, obligation requests charge to offices under the Office of the mayor including aids to NGOs, among others.

He is also authorized to sign documents on waste material report, approval of payroll for payment of honoraria of non-City Hall employees, among others.

City Attorney Joseph Bernaldez said the decision to authorize the three employees was made since the mayor has other several matters to attend to than sign documents.

"That's part of the prerogative of the mayor to delegate functions which are delegable so to speak. Naa may mga functions si mayor nga ma-delegate. In fact, one of the qualities of a good leader or a head is his ability to delegate functions," he told The FREEMAN.

Bernaldez said the move of the mayor is legal.

At the same time, he said the mayor is aware that he cannot delegate the signing of certain documents like ordinances passed by the City Council, resolutions passed by the council, veto message on certain issues of City Council, and documents pertaining to appropriation or budget proposals, among others.

"The purpose is basically to unburden himself. Kay the mayor has so many things to do. Signing papers will eat much of his time. Imagine pila ka papeles iyang pirmahan everyday. Mahurot iyang oras sige siya og pirma, wala na siyay trabaho laing mahimo," Bernaldez said.

"And that's why it is also reasonable and understandable that the mayor will delegate matters that can be delegated in the first place," he added.  (FREEMAN)