Capitol dept heads hand in ‘courtesy resignations’

CEBU, Philippines - At least 15 Capitol department heads tendered their “courtesy resignation letters” to the Human Resource Office to give reelected Governor Hilario Davide III a “free hand.” 

They were Jone Siegfred Sepe (Provincial General Services Office), Benjamin Joseph Yap  (Cebu Investment Promotions Center), Chris Lucero (Provincial Planning and Development Office), Ramon Dumayac (Cebu South Bus Terminal), Ethel Natera ( Provincial Information Office), Dr. Mary Rose Vincoy (Provincial Veterinary Office).

Danilo Rodas (Provincial Budget Office), Manny Guial (Provincial Treasurer Office), Orvi Ortega (Provincial Legal Office), Lawyer Chad Estella (Cebu Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office), Roldan Saragena (Provincial Agriculture Office), Atty. Mark Tolentino (Cebu Provincial Administration Office).

Hector Hamora (Provincial Engineering Office), Bobby Nacorda (Provincial Human Resource Management Office), and Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. (Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office).

Natera, Tolentino, and Ortega, among others, are co-terminus employees of the governor.

Davide said all these department heads would be subjected to a thorough assessment and their qualifications will be reviewed as part of the “changes” he promised within his new administration.

“It is customary in any administration. Changes and adjustments are natural. It is my prerogative and I think they understand that,” he said yesterday.

The resignations, Davide said, do not entail termination of service but an indication that a department head is willing and open for reassignment or to have an additional responsibility.

He clarified, though, that the department heads were not forced to submit their resignation letters, stressing that it was “voluntary,” and assured the Capitol’s personnel that “there is nothing to fear.”

In a separate interview, Natera said their resignation was Tolentino’s “suggestion” after the governor announced during the flag-raising ceremony at the Capitol grounds last Monday that Davide was looking at instituting changes once his second term starts on June 30.

Tolentino convened the department heads after Davide’s declaration and asked them if they were amenable that they offer their courtesy resignations to let Davide impose changes at the Capitol.

“The resignation does not mean resignation from the service but the intention is to tell the governor we are open to receive new functions in line with his mandate. It’s not compulsory and no one is forced to do such,” Nacorda said.

He said no objections but only “point of clarifications” were raised during the meeting.

 Natera, on the other hand, said she “freely” handed her resignation to give Davide the prerogative to choose and appoint “qualified and effective” head to his/her suited department.

“I recognized the fact that I need to be reviewed. Wala nay pugsanay. I don’t know if Governor Junjun will retain me or not but be assured I will function. I know he knows kinsa mo-fit and kinsa ibutang sa mga departments,” she said. — (FREEMAN)