Labella bans team building among CH employees

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella said he is longer allowing team building activities in any department or office under the city government during the pandemic.

He made the remark following some reported incidents of outing of at least two identified departments, the City Treasurer’s Office and the Division of the Welfare of the Urban Poor. The outings were allegedly “disguised” as team building activities but turned out to be drinking sessions as seen in photos that have been circulating online.

Labella said he already issued a memo to the two departments to explain their side of the incident. He will also issue another memo banning teambuilding activities and other related activities that would promote mass gathering and violation of social distancing.

“I already issued a memo for them to explain and will also issue another memo that there will be no more team building activities in all the offices in the city government,” the mayor said.

Labella reiterated that they already prohibited Christmas parties.

Those who will violate the memo will face administrative sanctions.

But for those who just had their teambuilding, they are still off the hook since the memorandum has not yet been issued.

Liquidation

In another development, Labella had already called the attention of the finance committee to liquidate the Covid-19 expenditures as being asked by the City Council.

“I have already instructed the finance committee in the executive department to cooperate, liquidate, account up to the last centavo in the expenses incurred in COVID-19 and all other expenses,” said Labella.

Labella said he expects the request from the City Council being part of its job.

“That’s expected because it is the job of the City Council. Checks and balance. It’s the council that appropriates and it’s the executive department that implements and of course, it is also the mandate of the city council to ask for the liquidation of expenses,” he said. — Decemay P. Padilla, JMD (FREEMAN)