Garcia orders urgent salary release for 4 City Hall employees

Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia met with the City Hall employees who filed complaints which led to the preventive suspension of Mayor Michael Rama. CDND photo | Niña Mae Oliverio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has directed the new city administrator to promptly pay the six months’ worth of unpaid salaries to four City Hall employees who filed complaints leading to Mayor Michael Rama’s preventive suspension.

Garcia made this announcement during his visit to the City Assessor’s Office on Monday morning, where the employees were processing their leave last week.

Last week, the four employees took leave after learning about the preventive suspension order against Mayor Rama, which affected their mental health.

During Garcia’s visit, he met with the four employees and informed them of the immediate release of their salaries. The salaries will be released no later than Monday, May 20.

“If pwede earlier, earlier but if not because I know that there is a processing issue, all the funds of 2023 have already been all accounted for and liquidated. So, 2024, naa man tay prior years account that is lump sum in nature, ang mahitabo ana in order for us to touch that particular account of the prior years, we have to ask the permission. The charging will come from the Sangguniang Panglungsod. We will wait for that resolution pero it is being [included in the agenda] this Wednesday,” Garcia said in a press conference before he went to the City Assessor’s Office. 

Councilor Noel Wenceslao, head of the City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee, who was present at the City Assessor’s Office during Garcia’s visit, said that he would sponsor the resolution for the salary release on Wednesday, May 15.

“Karong Wednesday, [regular] session, I will sponsor for the salary [release],” Wenceslao said.

READ: Amid Rama suspension issue, Cebu City Hall operations continue, says VM Garcia

Ombudsman suspends Cebu City mayor, 7 others

Garcia said that once approved, the salary could be released as early as Friday or by Monday at the latest.

Liezel Calamba, the newly appointed city assessor, has 17 years of government service experience, announced Garcia on Monday.

“I think she’s competent and she can do the job,” the acting mayor said.

Garcia also stated that he would ensure the proper functioning of the City Assessor’s Office, especially since its leaders were also included in the suspension order. /clorenciana