DELAYED WAGES IN SP

IT was an angry Mayor Belen Fernandez that went on the air and lambasted the anchor person of a pubic affairs program aired on DWIZ Dagupan for reporting that she was to blame for the delay in the payment of wages of emergency workers (EW) at the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP).

“It’s fake news,” the mayor said speaking over Aksyon Radyo Dagupan and told off Ruel Camba, commentator for a block-time slot, that he was barking up the wrong tree because it was not her but Vice Mayor Brian Lim, head of SP office, who was causing the delay in the payment not only of the wages but the implementation of programs in the city.

She blamed the situation on Lim’s constant absence because of his reported travels as the current president of Junior Chamber International, a position that reportedly requires him to often travel overseas.

She clarified that the payroll for EWs in the SP is under the control and supervision of the vice mayor, and not the mayor.

Fernandez said the SP payroll that was sent to the budget office was returned to the SP because it lacked the signature of the vice mayor.

As of May 23, the EWs still have not received their salaries due for the month of April.

Fernandez had publicly called the attention of Lim after the flag-raising ceremony, reminding the latter to give time and importance to the needs of SP employees whose salaries were “always delayed”.

“One radio commentator always puts the blame on me for these delays,” the mayor said.

She said Lim’s constant absence also causes delay in the implementation of urgent resolutions adopted by the city council.

She added that the release of the mid-year bonuses due SP employees are also delayed because of him. “All the employees of other departments have received their bonuses except the SP employees,” she said.

It was learned that Lim arrived on Monday, May 21, to sign the payrolls of the EWs and the mid-year bonus of SP employees. No session was convened for lack of quorum.

The mayor said there were ordinances and resolutions approved by the SP during sessions which Lim presided, which could not be acted upon for signature or veto of the chief executive because Lim had not affixed his signatures on them.

The mayor reportedly attempted to confront Camba on the air as the source of the “fake news” but she was not allowed by the radio station owing to the absence of permission from the block time buyer for Camba’s radio program. (Leonardo Micua)

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