JVR loses 1,000 job order workers; Council defends cut

REALITY CHECK. Talisay City Mayor Johnny V. delos Reyes shows the list of items the Talisay City Council reduced in his proposed budget. (CDN Photos/Junjie Mendoza)

Talisay City’s P539.941-million budget means the city government will only have 341 job order or temporary employees this year compared to 1,300 job order employees last year.

“There was not enough budget to sustain their salary. I pity them because some cried because they can’t even buy food for their families,” Talisay City Mayor Johnny delos Reyes told reporters.

The mayor described the budget as “a calamity” for the city and said he doesn’t know how Talisay City will manage.

“I will try my best on what I can do. I will never leave them,” he said.

He denied reports that he proposed a P1 billion budget for this year in preparation for next year’s elections.

Salaries
“There is no truth to that. I’m used to campaigning without using money. Those using public funds are politicians,” delos Reyes said.

The mayor, who confirmed plans for reelection next year under the Liberal Party, said he had no choice but to cut down on basic services due to the reduced budget.

But Councilor Edward Alesna, chairman of the Talisay City Council’s budget and appropriations committee, said most of the budget cuts involved maintenance and other expenses where the salaries of job order employees are sourced.

“We cut these items because we have a lot of regular employees who can cope with the work in each department),” he said.

When told about the mayor’s claim that the council hired so many job order employees last year, Talisay City Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante said they can hire 85 job order employees.

Supplemental budget
He said that most of the job order employees hired by the mayor’s office were friends of the mayor and his wife.

“The job order employees also depend on the needs. If he wanted to have more, then we are ready to help him through a  supplemental budget,” he said.

Villarante said the mayor should sit down with his budget officer to implement the programs under the approved budget.

Alesna said this year’s budget is bigger than last year’s budget of P516 million.

The mayor, who proposed a P621 million budget last year, said his proposed P1 billion budget would have included the P350 million upgrade of the  Tabunok public market.

Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante (right), former mayor and Councilors Socrates Fernandez (center) and Edward Alesna explain the Talisay City Council’s reasons for trimming the mayor’s budget by half a billion pesos.
(CDN Photos/Junjie Mendoza)

Villarante said they still have to discuss the market project with the mayor.

Former mayor and now City Councilor Socrates Fernandez said contracting  P350 million for the market renovation is difficult.

“The market’s income is P600,000 a month. The council is very practical. Mao ra jud nay maabot nato (That’s the only amount that we’ll reach),” he said.