More EWs, consultants seen to lose their jobs
DAGUPAN FUND SHORTAGE
THE severe budget deficit created by the Lim administration finally takes its toll on the ranks of emergency workers (EWs) and consultants hired by the Fernandez administration and benefits of volunteer workers.
The number of EWs, also called Job Order Employees (JOEs), as well as consultants of the Dagupan government will be cut by half beginning October to avoid a serious deficit in the city’s finances.
Only 200 of the 400 EWs and consultants will likely be retained.
At the same time, the city is also planning to suspend the honorarium given to volunteer workers such as Barangay Health Workers, Barangay Service Point Officers, Barangay Nutrition Scholars and barangay tanods.
Several other cost-cutting measures have been initiated by the administration under Mayor Belen Fernandez, including the reduction of the number of fixed phones from 104 to just 50 and suspension of any overtime work.
Fernandez also ordered City Administrator Farah Decano to direct all offices to switch off their air-conditioning systems during the one-hour noontime break and to study how to minimize the frequent repairs of vehicles which eats up a significant portion of the budget.
SHORTFALL
Acting Budget Officer Luz de Guzman said reducing the number of EWs and consultants and withdrawing honorarium of volunteer workers may save the day for the cash-strapped city which is looking at a P55.8 million deficit, not P35 million as earlier projected by City Treasurer Romelita Alcantara, up to the end of the year.
De Guzman said that as of September 20, the balance left of the P612 million annual city budget for 2013 is actually only P190.8 million, from which P172.4 million in contractual obligations of the city will be deducted.
The P172.4 million is for personal services in the amount of P101.1 million; calamity fund, P8.9 million; 20 percent development fund, P27.9 million; debt servicing, P17.4 million; gasoline expenses, P3.5 million; senior citizens, P970,994; Aid to National Government Agencies, P1.9; social services, P4.9 million; utilities, P2.9 million; water, P2.4 million; and capital outlay, P834,066.
De Guzman said only P18.4 million is what remains that can be reverted to cover the city’s electric bills from July to December in the amount of P24 million.
And, if the number of EWs and consultants are not reduced and benefits are not suspended, P15.2 million must be reserved for their wages and honoraria.
OVERTIME PAY
She noted that the Audit Observation Memorandum of the Commission on Audit stated that collection of overtime pay is illegal, especially if those rendering overtime work are EWs and consultants who under the law are not entitled to such compensation.
However, records show that most of those who collected overtime pays were EWs and consultants hired by the Lim administration.
Overtime pay collected in January was P1.3 million; February, P1.6 million; March, P1.3 million; April, P1.3 million; May, P601,539; and June, P54, 393.
On order of Fernandez, the city is withholding the payment of claims for overtime work supposed to have been rendered by personnel of the City Engineering Office during the Bangus Festival.
Employees who intend to log in overtime work are now required to submit a schedule approved by the department head to the mayor’s office at least five days before the intended overtime period.
On gasoline expenditures, from January to May, the city incurred more than P1 million in gas expenses per month but this has been to P366,900 in July, and P227,843 in August.
IMPROVED COLLECTION
At the same time, Fernandez vowed to pursue a more intensive tax collection effort.
In the city market, for example, daily collection has already increased to P82,000 daily from only P7,000,
To correct an anomalous practice in the past, Fernandez has ordered that only cash tickets printed by the National Printing Officer will be used. A blacklisted supplier has been providing the cash tickets that were found to have unauthorized duplicates elsewhere.
Fernandez already ordered Alcantara to call all delinquent property tax owners to a meeting to work out a compromise plan for their early settlement.
The mayor also directed the city accounting office to require all recipients who failed to liquidate to return the financial assistance extended to them by the city government in the past.
The city auditor noted the failure of barangays, non-government organizations and civic clubs to liquidate since 2010. (with report from CIO)
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