CEBU City’s barangay officials called on the Ombudsman-Visayas to investigate the unilateral termination of barangay health workers ordered by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
In a written complaint, Councilor Phillip Zafra said under the Local Government Code, the appointment or replacement of any appointive barangay officials, which include the health workers, belong to the respective barangay chairpersons.
He also cited a Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) memorandum that mandated barangay chairpersons to reappoint health workers to continue their services and avoid training replacements.
Zafra, the barangay chairman of Tisa and concurrent president of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC), sits in the City Council as an ex-officio member.
Last July 4, Osmeña issued a memorandum terminating the services of over 500 barangay health workers employed by the city government.
Zafra said Osmeña’s memorandum didn’t explain why they were terminated.
In his official Facebook page, Osmeña earlier said not all barangay health workers will be terminated after he met them at City Hall last week.
They were given a month’s extension with pay and they can reapply at City Hall through the office of Councilor Mary Ann De Los Santos who was designated by Osmeña as deputy mayor on health concerns.