Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella said that city officials and employees should look up to Don Vicente Rama’s kind of public service. | Gerard Francisco
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has encouraged city officials to serve the public with the principles of Don Vicente Rama, the father of the Cebu City Charter, in mind.
This was his message on the 83rd celebration of the Cebu City Charter Day at the Plaza Sugbo grounds on February 24, 2020.
Honor Don Vicente
The mayor described Don Vicente’s service as passionate, honest, and people-centered, which made the late senator an icon to look up to for modern-day public servants.
“We are now enjoying the fruits of the hard work, perseverance, and perhaps the friendly persuasion that Don Vicente Rama used in convincing the other legislators from the other parts of the country to make Cebu as a chartered city.
“In our part, particularly the officials and employees of Cebu City, this is my simple message: in order for us to give honor, meaning, and substance to what Don Vicente Rama did for all of us for the City of Cebu, I enjoined all of us to live up to the expectations, passion, and advocacy of Don Vicente Rama,” said Labella.
He said the senator was an epitome of morality and humility in public service “worthy of emulation.”
The mayor reminded the officials to observe the principle of “A Public Office is a Public Trust,” and that every employee working for the city government would be accountable to the people and should serve the public with the utmost fidelity, and loyalty.
He also encouraged them to live a modest life.
Loyalty award
Such example of a model employee was Teofila Castino, 57, who worked as a staff at the City Treasurer’s Office for 45 years. She was honored with the Loyalty Award from the city.
Castino said that her inspiration to continue working in city hall from her youth as an intern was the many opportunities that were given to her for self-development.
“My advice is to use every opportunity to do your work to the best of your abilities. I believe most of you would agree that we have a challenging job. Public service is both a challenging and intimidating profession. We want to make the lives of Cebuanos easier and more enjoyable,” she said.
She said that once a city worker would do her job with passion and commitment, years would pass at lightning speed.
She said the road might be difficult, but with a commitment to public service, anything was possible.
“Success makes sacrifices worthwhile,” said Castino.
The city officials laid flower wreaths at the monument of Don Vicente Rama at the Plaza Sugbo.
The Rama heirs were also present led by Vice Mayor Michael Rama, the grandson of the senator. Councilor Eduardo Rama, Jr., and Lawyer Mikel Rama, the great-grandsons of the don were also present./dbs