Young: Council can make it hard for Rama

CEBU, Philippines -   If Mayor Michael Rama would make it difficult for the City Council to hire consultants, he might just be getting a dose of his own medicine.

“Kon lisud-lisuron niya ang among mga consultant, wala usab siya’y consultant,” said Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young, the Council’s presiding officer. Young said it is still the Council that authorizes the mayor to sign contracts of consultants.

A list furnished to reporters yesterday showed that City Hall hired 71 consultants – 43 are listed under the Office of the Mayor, 21 are working with councilors, and seven others are under the Vice Mayor’s Office.

Aside from the 71 consultants working directly with the executive and legislative departments, records also show that the city still have 40 other consultants consisting of medical personnel who work at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) on a part time basis.

Young contended it is not true that the hiring of all of the consultants was merely political accommodation because some of them are truly working for the city for various concerns.

Rama said earlier that he would want to be the sole signatory of all contracts of consultants as provided for by law.

The City Legal Office has supported Rama’s argument. City legal officer Joseph Bernaldez said only the mayor has the authority to sign all consultancy contracts, including those of the members of the City Council.

But Young cautioned that the Council will raise the issue to court should Rama pursue the move. Young argued that the Council, being the legislative branch of a local government unit, is independent from the executive department, which is being led by the mayor. 

He said that in the case of consultants for the city councilors, it is the head of the Council that should sign the consultancy contracts because it is the legislative department that is considered procuring the services of the consultants.   - (THE FREEMAN)