82nd Charter Day Anniversary: Osmeña opts for a simple celebration

Mayor Tomas Osmeña told City Hall officials and employees that the quality of service that they deliver to the Cebuanos is far more important that spending cash for a lavish celebration of the city’s  82nd Charter Day anniversary. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Cebu City officials and employees gathered to celebrate the city’s 82nd Charter Day anniversary this morning, February 24, in a simple celebration held at the Plaza Sugbu.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña said that he opted to allocate only P500,000 for this year’s celebration so that City Hall money can be spent on more important expenses like the rice subsidy for haba-habal and Angkas drivers that were released on Saturday.

City Hall allocated P1.5 million for its Charter Day celebration last year.

“I give value to what we spend. Mas ganahan ko mohatag og sakong bugas sa atong habal-habal drivers,” said Osmeña.

Osmeña said that while this year’s Charter Day celebration was kept simple, what is more important is the quality service that the city was able to deliver to its constituents.

“What is important is what we do and not what we celebrate. At least makahatag kog storya nga today we are moving ahead,” said the mayor.

Osmeña led today’s Charter Day celebration which started with a 7 a.m. Mass and flag raising ceremony at 8 a.m. A short program to recognize outstanding department heads, employees and individuals followed.

Other city officials present were Rep. Raul del Mar (north district), Rodrigo Abellanosa (south district) and Vice Mayor Edgar Labella among others.

In his message, Osmeña said he opted to do away with the annual parade and other extravagant activities in this year’s Charter Day celebration to allocate City Hall funds on more important appropriations.

He also urged other city officials and government employees to continue to deliver the best kind of service that they could give especially to the ordinary  Cebuanos as ‘efficiently and sufficiently’ as possible.

Before the gathering ended, Osmeña handed awards to top performing City Hall departments and employees.

The Department of General Services (DGS) was named the most outstanding department while its office head, Ronaldo Malacora, was named the most outstanding department head this year.

Malacora received a plaque and P50,000 cash for himself and another plaque and P50,000 for DGS.

In an interview, Malacora said that he is grateful that the administration saw their efforts in delivering the best kind of services to the public. He attributed their success to the systematic delivery of services, from procurement of resources to the delivery of the service, to the public.

In the coming months, DGS will be buying 22 small buses and 19 big buses for distribution especially in the city’s upland barangays.

“Mag-expect ta og mas maayo nga serbisyo para sa katawhan,” said Malacora.

The office of the City Civil Registrar was named winner in the small department category while office head, Atty. Evangeline Abatayo, was also recognized as the most outstanding department head.

Abatayao received a plaque and P50,000 cash for her herself and for her department.

Plaques were also handed to outstanding employees, board topnotchers and the youth service awardees./dcb