Downgrading a step closer

CEBU, Philippines — Four departments of the Cebu provincial government are now one step to becoming divisions under the Office of the Governor.

This after the 15th Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) passed the ordinance reorganizing some departments and downgrading them to divisions.

Affected by this downsizing are the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), Provincial Tourism Office (PTO), Cebu Provincial Anti-drug Abuse Office (CPADAO), and the Cebu Provincial Investment and Promotions Office (CPIPO)

Under the reorganization ordinance, CPADAO with 49 original employees will have seven plantilla positions, PDRRMO with its current 37 will have 10 plantilla positions, for PTO only seven will be left from 50 current positions, and also seven will remain in CPIPO from original 30 positions.

The said departments were created through ordinances during the administration of then governor and now vice governor Hilario Davide III. The PDRRMO was created in 2015, CPADAO in 2016, PTO in 2017, and CPIPO in 2018.

“The bloated bureaucracy has not directly resulted in tangible increased public services delivery and on the contrary have contributed to workplace congestion and increased red tape—anathema to effective and efficient public service delivery,” read the resolution for the ordinance that was passed during the regular session of the Provincial Board last Monday.

The ordinance which is called The Rationalization and Reorganization Program of 2019 was sponsored by 2nd District Board Member Edsel Galeos and co-authored by John Ismael Borgonia, Thadeo Jovito Ouano, Andrei Duterte, and Glenn Anthony Soco, all allies of the governor.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, in previous reports said, there is a need to downsize some departments as this can save Capitol from spending more for these offices which can just be handled under her office.

She said the Capitol has been spending over P27 million every month for the salaries of these departments. If downgraded, the Cebu provincial government will only be spending only P11 million for the salaries, or a monthly savings of at least P15 million a month, or P186 million a year. — BRP (FREEMAN)