45 Cebu city officials off to Manila ‘lakbay-aral’

Osmeña: Will taxpayers support P825,000 cost of group tour?

Cebu City Hall will be spending  P825,000 for a “lakbay-aral” field trip in Metro Manila for almost 50 department heads, assistant department heads and  city officials.

MARGOT OSMENA

The three-nights-four days trip is aimed at  “sharing of best practices”  and will taken them to cities of Makati,  Taguig, Marikina and also Santa Rosa in Laguna  province.

The cost is  P16,500 per participant.

The Cebu City Council  yesterday  authorized the official trip from November 26 to 29 in a resolution authored by Councilor Lea Japson.

At first Councilor Margarita Osmeña, who heads the  committee on budget and finance, objected.

“Why are all department heads going at the same time? Aren’t lakbay aral trips  discouraged? We’ve been cited by COA for various activities that could have saved funds for the city,” she said.

After a short recess, she withdrew her objection but  abstained from voting for its approval.

Councilors Alvin Dizon, Dave Tumulak, Alvin Arcilla, Mary Ann De Los Santos and Eugenio Gabuya Jr. also abstained.

The trip is a “Cebu City Heads’ Learning Tour” according to a document from the HR Department of City Hall, under whose budget the travel is charged.

In Makati City,  Cebu city visitors  will “watch, learn, experience and immerse” in the city’s best practices which includes (1) the  award given to the Makati “Yellow Card”  Health Program for the

Ospital ng Makati, and (2) the Dubai International “Best Practices” Award for “outstanding contributions in improving the environment.

They will also visit Santa Rosa City, Laguna which is a  consistent awardee of the Green Banner Award from the   National Nutrition Council   for its nutrition program,  and the city’s maintainenance of a  City Cemetery.

They will also visit Marikina City to study its  river rehabilitation and garbage collection program.

In Taguig City, the officials will learn about the city’s award winning socialized housing projects and  Fort Bonifacio’s solid waste management system.

A Nov. 5 memorandum  by Mayor Michael Rama authorized the travel.

They are  required to submit a post training report within  five working days after their trip.

The original travel  list had 50 city officials including City Administrator Lucelle Mercado, Mayor’s Secretary Belinda Navascues, Chief of Staff . Dominic Dino with department  heads of City Hall.

But yesterday, Japson said five will not be joining.

They are  Veronica Morelos of the HRDO, Arlene Rentusa of the Internal Audit Service Office, City Treaurer Diwa Cuevas, Tessie Camarillo of the treasurer’s office and  Lyndon Basan of the City Legal Office.

Councilors Noel Wenceslao, Nestor Archival Sr., Roberto Cabarrubias, Gerardo Carillo, Lea Japson supported the resolution authorizing the trip.

In her official Facebook page, Councilor Osmeña posted yesterday a copy of the resolution and asked if other  local governments allow 50 employees to go  for a ‘lakbay-aral’ at one time.

“As a taxpayer, would you allow your money to be spent for a lakbay-aral?” she also asked.