Reporting for duty

THREE years ago, the ever-feisty Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago lashed at her colleagues in the Senate who were often late or absent during sessions. She was angry because the tardiness and absenteeism were delaying the discussion and passage of laws, which is the main job of the senators who were elected by the people.

Santiago, supported by Senators Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Juan Ponce Enrile and Richard Gordon, then succeeded in the passage of new Senate rules, which included starting sessions at the scheduled time with or without a quorum, and the absence of a senator being considered as a waiver of the right to raise questions on a proposed law.

But punctuality and presence has remained a cultural ill among public servants, particularly our elected local government officials. This has prompted Interior and Local Secretary Jesse Robredo to issue last week a directive reminding LGU officials — from governors to barangay officials — that they could be suspended or kicked out of office for regularly missing their official working hours in their official places of work.

Robredo said there have been widespread complaints of LGU officials who are “either frequently absent or holding office elsewhere, other than their official places of assignment.” As part of his warning, Robredo, who also previously served as an elected LGU official, cited Section 60 of the Local Government Code which specifies suspension or removal for “dishonesty, oppression, misconduct in office, gross negligence or dereliction of duty, or unauthorized absence for 15 consecutive working days.”

The directive spells out that during the investigation of a complaint, preventive suspension could already be imposed by the President on the governor or a mayor of an independent component city; by the governor on an official of a municipality or a component city; and by the mayor on a barangay official.

LGU officials, Robredo said, are required to “render full-time service and devote time and attention to the performance of their officials duties and should refrain from practicing profession, or engaging in any occupation other than the exercise of their functions.” In short, Robredo is telling LGU officials that they should carry out the responsibilities of the job that they applied for during the election.

The impact of senators being absent from their work is not immediately suffered by the general public. But the effects of constantly late and absent LGU executives are directly felt by the people in their everyday lives.

And the people should make their elected officials accountable. File a complaint. Demand the public service that is rightfully deserved by your community.

Being an elected LGU official is not a privilege, it’s a duty.

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