Luigi unfazed despite ‘scandal’

CEBU, Philippines — Mandaue City Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing has remained unfazed despite the issues thrown at him recently.

A few days ago, photos and videos of Quisumbing with young women in bikini on a yacht circulated on Facebook. There were also issues raised against him for allegedly terminating job order employees. But the mayor said these did not affect him.

"At the end of the day, with all of the things that were released, my entire staff was there with me. There was clearly nothing that happened despite the attempt of putting color in it. So, as far as I'm concerned, it's nothing," Quisumbing said.

The controversial video show was first posted on Instagram before it circulated on Facebook.

Quisumbing said the issue will not affect his commitment to serve the city and to uplift the lives of his people.

"I'm very happy that despite all the political noise, Mandaue City continues to chug on," he said.

Atty. Mae Elaine Bathan, the mayor's executive secretary, earlier defended him, saying the video was "edited" and someone may have wanted to destroy Quisumbing's image and to distract the public from the real pressing issues of the city.

Meanwhile, Quisumbing explained that the memorandum ordering job order workers to stop reporting pending their reappointment is not politically-motivated.

"I think every department will tell you that there have been some long standing processes that have not been totally eliminated which, unfortunately, we must remember that our ultimate loyalty is to the taxpayers and to the people of Mandaue," he said.

Quisumbing explained that there are JOs who do their job well and there are some who are not focused on their jobs, which made the city government dissatisfied with their quality of work.

Acknowledging that persistent problems exist in a workplace, Quisumbing said the City Hall continues to improve.

"No organization is perfect. It is necessary from time to time to bring new blood, fresh ideas to make sure that Mandaue will continue to remain one of the most competitive LGUs not only in Cebu but in the Visayas," he said.

Earlier, City Administrator Danilo Almendras said no services were affected while the reappointment process is on-going.

Loreta Perez, officer-in-charge of the Human Resource and Management Office (HRMO), said they have renewed the contract of around 1,830 out of 2,311 JOs in city hall.

Their reappointment is based on their performance.

These reappointed JOs have yet to receive their papers.

Perez added that the given figure will increase as there will be more JOs to be reappointed in the next days after the department heads sent a reconsideration list to their office.—  MBG  (FREEMAN)