Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama. Photo courtesy of Cebu City PIO
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama stressed the need to resize the workforce of the city government to transform Cebu City into a smart city like Melbourne and Brisbane.
Rama mentioned that he was considering a hybrid setup; however, he did not disclose his ideal number of employees.
“I am sorry that (rightsizing) is a thing that should be done,” Rama said during his “Ingna Mayor” program via Cebu City News and Information.
READ: Rama: Over 1K Cebu City Hall employees to lose jobs this 2024
Rama’s aim: To be like Melbourne, Brisbane
He highlighted the importance of Cebu City becoming a smart city like Melbourne and Brisbane, where city halls had fewer employees.
It can be recalled that one of Rama’s 2024 resolutions for Cebu City is transforming the metropolitan city into a place similar to Singapore, but he also would want to incorporate a touch of Melbourne.
Last January 2, Rama said over a thousand government employees were set to lose their jobs this 2024 as the Cebu City Hall would begin the process of rightsizing its workforce.
READ: Rama: 6,000 Cebu City Hall employees to lose jobs before 2025
Only 3,000 employees by 2025
Rama said that by 2025, City Hall should only have 3,000 of the more than 9,000 employees left.
“We wish to be paperless, seamless, and [have] less physical interaction. That alone, we are bold in making it implemented,” the mayor said.
As of press time, the city has at least 9,000 employees at City Hall, including the job order (JO) and casual employees.
Rama noted that the Commission on Audit raised concerns about the city government’s inefficient use of Job Order (JO) personnel and planned to address this by removing ineffective JOs and other underperforming staff.
READ: Cebu City gov’t employees face uncertainty over Rama’s ‘rightsizing’ plan
Rightsizing to be done in six months
He said that the rightsizing would be implemented within six months for sustainability. And those who would not perform well, including JOs and casuals, would not have their contracts renewed.
He also warned regular employees that they could face termination if they would not be effective.
However, the mayor assured that those employees of Cebu City Hall, who might potentially not be renewed by the government, would not be “abandoned and left behind.”
Rama said that the City Hall had programs in place for the affected employees, such as livelihood assistance and job fairs for recruitment.
READ: Senate urged to approve gov’t rightsizing measure