VM BRIAN LIM SHOULD GO ON LEAVE. The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) again bent its House Rules to suit the schedule of their presiding officer Vice Mayor Brian Lim, in the city since he became World Jaycee president.

The SP held its regular session last January 16, Tuesday, not on January 15, Monday as stipulated in its newly amended House Rules.

If I remember correctly, the amendment was introduced by Councilor Chito Samson, the most senior among the present crop of councilors, at a time when the SP was holding sessions on any of the week days they chose to. It turned out that the flexible and floating schedule was agreed upon to accommodate the vice mayor who was then busy campaigning for the world Jaycee presidency.

I went to the SP in the afternoon of January 15 only to be told by the secretariat that the scheduled regular session that day was rescheduled the next day upon the instruction of VM Brian.

Not even City Secretary Ryan Ravanzo was not informed of the resetting of the session the next day.

I wonder if all the SP members without exception again bowed to the dictates of their presiding officer.

Shouldn’t the DILG look into malpractice in the city council since public service required of the members is delivered whimsically, at the convenience and pleasure of the vice mayor?

The amendment and even the entire House Rules are useless if the members of the city council do not abide by it.

I won’t be surprised if the members again amend the House Rules on schedule of meeting quietly to suit the whims and caprices of the vice mayor believing perhaps that nobody will complain since there’s only The PUNCH covering the session of the SP regularly. Well, the city is now aware of their shenanigans because The PUNCH covered the session.

Public service from the city council is a 24/7 job and when somebody reports to the office only once a week and irregularly, this is depriving the public the service that’s due them.

If the city council thinks it can keep on changing its rules for the members’ personal convenience, this is a departure from the accepted norms of good governance.

It is not a vice mayor’s job to be active in a civic group. His main responsibility and duty is to the people who elected him to the post, they who are paying his salary as vice mayor.  He cannot make Dagupan only as his second priority simply because he chose to lead the World Jaycees.

He cannot say the vice mayor is only a spare tire of the mayor and therefore not needed in the city on a daily basis. Then Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez was very visible and very much pre-occupied in her work serving the people even only as spare tire of Brian’s father.

There is absolutely no reason for the SP to keep on accommodating the vice mayor. If the vice mayor has no time to preside over the sessions of the SP because of his busy schedule as World Jaycee president, there is the Protemp who can take over as the rules have it. Meanwhile, VM Brian should go on leave, without pay. – Leonardo Micua

 

AT 65, LAW SAYS YOU RETIRE. – A top government official of a national agency is moving heaven and earth to extend his length of service by another six months.

As of this writing, his wish is yet to be granted, our source said.

The official is due for retirement as he is turning 65 years old this month. In Philippine government, when you reach 65, it’s time for you to bid adieu to the service.

Mr. Official has reached the mandatory age of retirement but he wants another six months. Either he is very dedicated to his service or he has unfinished business, whether legit or otherwise, to accomplish.

Mr. Official, as his co-workers swear, has enriched himself in his position.

One asked: Bakit, kulang pa ba yung naipon nya? Another commented: Baka hindi pa dumating yung pabaon?

Mr. Official said he is still young to retire.  At sayang naman daw ang talino nya.

Told about this, an engineer asked: Why, does he have the monopoly of skills and talents? If it’s time to go, you go, he said.

Marami tuloy and nagdududa: Ano ba ang masarap dyan at hindi nya maiwan-iwan? My buddies replied in chorus: Kontrata, ano pa nga ba?

This makes me sing these lines from one of a veteran newsman’s favorite song: “Goodbye, I hate to see you go but have a good time.”

Mr. Official, give chance to others. You don’t have the monopoly of skills. Rest and enjoy life. Learn to know when to stop. — Eva Visperas

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