Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez rallied the Bacolod government employees to serve the people to the best of their abilities, and met with department heads to discuss how city services can be further improved on Monday, July 4.
“Let us all strive to make Bacolod City great again… let us make sure each and every one of us make ourselves relevant in public service…Let us all go the extra mile,” said Benitez at his first flag raising ceremony as mayor at the Bacolod City Government Center.
Benitez, who was joined by Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya and other city officials, said he will work on strengthening institutions, not personalities.
“I will be leading this city based on performance, guided by results, not by personal loyalty,” he said.
The mayor said he saw a report that the majority of the city government funds were already used up in the first half of the year and is validating the data.
Benitez said he also met with the city department heads to ask them what they need to make their departments more efficient.
They are reviewing the city government’s organization to see if casuals and job order workers who perform crucial work can be made regular employees, he added.
The number of JOs who will be hired will depend on how many are needed by the city departments and offices, he said.
Benitez said he will be holding meetings with the city department heads for the entire week. “This will be a weeklong planning and interaction with the department heads,” he said
During the campaign he saw a lot of gaps in the services in the city that he wants addressed, Benitez said.
Benitez also said he visited the city markets Sunday night and saw garbage pilling up and the proliferation of sidewalk vendors.
“We will assess what solutions can be adopted,” he said.
Benitez also said Maj. Junjie Liba will head the traffic enforcement in the city.
Benitez has directed all Bacolod City government employees regardless of rank, position or designation to return to their original plantilla assignments or mother units.
Benitez, in Memorandum Order 001, recalled all detail, reassignment and transfer orders previously issued effective July 1.
It is imperative that all city employees are fully accounted for with respect to the positions they occupy and the offices they belong to, he said.
Failure to report to their original mother units can be considered ground for administrative sanctions, Benitez said in his memorandum.
He said should there be a need for any transfer of an employee to a particular department or office, the requesting department or office head should make a written request.
Benitez, in Memorandum Order No. 002, also directed all department and office heads to ensure the continuity and efficiency of services.*