CH: No renewal for 500 workers

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has announced that contracts of 500 casual and job order workers at City Hall will no longer be renewed effective July 1, 2022.

He made the announcement during the flag raising ceremony on Monday, June 27, 2022, at City Hall where he also announced that new personalities will join his administration.

Rama said the decision to let go of the employees came after strict evaluation by the City Administrator and Human Resource Development Officer.

“My directive, 500 employees by July first need not have to come to City Hall anymore,” Rama announced during the flag raising ceremony on Monday, June 27.

“It's either they're a casual, either you're a job order, meaning, you do not receive any appointment, then you are not anymore hired. Is that loud and clear?” he told the workers present at the ceremony.

Rama said he has also received a list of workers whose contracts will be renewed either for three months or six months.

To recall, Rama challenged city government employees who do not approve of his leadership to leave City Hall. He made the bold statement barely two weeks before his new term starts.

Currently, City Hall has more than 10,000 employees. Of this number, 1,500 are regular employees; 5,000 are job order workers; and 3,600 are casual employees. A few others are under contract of service agreements.

New Faces

Meanwhile, among those joining Rama’s administration is Architect Yumi Espina who will lead the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) as Engineer Kenneth Enriquez, CPDO’s former head, will return to the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW).

City Administrator Suzanne Ardosa, who is a civil engineer, was instructed to oversee the transition.

Another new face is Wynne Cenas who will lead the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE) team. PROBE’s former head, Raquel Arce, will now handle the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

Rama said lawyer Johnson Hontanosas will be overseeing the City Legal Office. The mayor said Hontanosas’ experience as a trial lawyer will help the office and the city greatly.

Rama also said that multi-awarded furniture designer and manufacturer Kenneth Cobonpue will also help City Hall.

Cobonpue will lend his expertise in design planning.

“We are very happy that we have the private sector… world renowned entrepreneur and creative, who will be helping our administration, not my administration but our administration,” Rama said. – JMO (FREEMAN)