New city treasurer effective January 1

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Hall is set to implement a “minor reshuffling” after a department head has announced her plan to retire next year.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña has designated Veronica Morelos as the new acting city treasurer effective January 1, replacing Tessie Camarillo who will avail of an early retirement.

Osmeña has also appointed City Administrator Nigel Paul Villarete to hold a concurrent position as head of the City Planning Development Office, replacing Engr. Maria Concepcion Encabo who will sit as head of Department of Manpower Development and Placement.

Yesterday, Camarillo already turned over the city’s cash, properties, equipment, books of accounts, including cash books and accountable forms, to Morelos.

This as the Bureau of Local Government and Finance-7 has already confirmed the one-year designation of Morelos as the new acting city treasurer.

“The marching order is to bring in the money. Of course, the collection of revenue, regular taxes,” Morelos told reporters.

She vowed to continue the current administration’s thrust on going after tax evaders.

“It’s not new to me actually because I came from the city treasurer’s office when I started in City Hall, although I have to because I’ve been away for 14 years. So I guess I have to update myself for the new provisions (as) regards to collection of taxes,” she said, adding that she intends to intensify the collection next year.

Morelos said she was first assigned to the City Treasurer’s Office in 1985 when she was employed at City Hall.

She rose from the ranks as she tried all the standing positions at City Treasurer’s Office from being an inspector to an examiner to Local Treasurer Operations Officer III, among others.  Morelos was assigned as the executive assistant of Osmeña in 2003 and was promoted as assistant city administrator in 2004 until 2017.

Morelos will be replaced by Annabeth Cuizon in her position as assistant administrator of the city.

Villarete, for his part, has confirmed accepting the designation as temporary head of the CPDO.

“The activities of CPDO are very clear-cut under the Local Government Code and we just have to proceed with that. There might be some kuwang in so far as the plans that are required, and the office has been doing that already this year. So by next year, we will go full speed ahead with the barangay surveys together with major activities,” he said.

He said the city has P9 million to implement the barangay survey, which will include comprehensive data gathering for economic, household, sectoral, transport, social, health, drainage, among others. (FREEMAN)