Lapu-Lapu City dept head sent to Olango Island asks Chan to reconsider assignment

'We just sit around, exchange stories, clean the Mini City Hall and just wait for the time to go home.'

Lapu-Lapu City Hall employees led by Rolando Duero (seated far left), former secretary to then mayor Paz Radaza, lament they have nothing to do at the Olango Mini City Hall where they were assigned after Mayor Junard Chan took office in July 2019. Photo taken on Oct. 3, 2019. |Norman V. Mendoza

OLANGO ISLAND, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu — They get their salary regularly while doing nothing.

Most employees of government would have no reason to complaint.  But not Rolando Duero, the former secretary to then mayor Paz Radaza, who found himself assigned to Olango Island along with several others “identified” with Radaza after Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan assumed the post in July this year.

Chan, the the barangay captain of Pajo, ended the rule of the Radazas at Lapu-Lapu City Hall when he defeated Arturo “Boy” Radaza, a former mayor of the city and husband of outgoing mayor Paz, during the midterm polls last May. Paz, who had served as city mayor alternately with husband Arturo, went on to win the lone congressional district seat of Lapu-Lapu City.

Duero said he and several other so-called “Radaza-identified” employees assigned to Olango Island are asking Chan to reconsider their assignment to Olango, as they can become productive if they are returned to their original assignments at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall on Mactan Island.

He explained that in his transfer order starting July,  he was to supervise the General Services Office (GSO). But he could not function as such at the Mini City Hall on Olango Island  since the supposed city government extension office on the the island is not actually operating, Duero said.

According to Duero, he does nothing all the day long since he was assigned to Olango.

“Ang trabaho ra gyud namo ug sa mga Job Order employees mao ra gyud ang paglingkod-lingkod, mag-estoryahanay, pagpanglimpyo sa Mini City Hall, ug magpaabot sa oras ting-pamauli,” said Duero. 

(The work we and the job order employees were doing were just to sit around, exchange stories, clean the Mini City Hall and just wait for the time to go home).

Duero and other employees assigned to Olango commute daily by ferry to the island. The trip between Mactan and Olango takes about 25 minutes one way. The ferries run every 30 minutes from early morning until sundown.

Lapu-Lapu City Hall extension office on Olango Island |Source: Lapu-Lapu City Facebook page

According to Duero, there was not even a single paper work to do on Olango’s satellite City Hall.  He recalled that during the time of former mayor Paz Radaza, employees assigned at the Mini City Hall can issue community tax certificates, which used to be called residence certificate or cedula.

Duero hoped that Chan would bring him back to the mainland as he was a plantilla position holder as the department head of GSO.

“Ang ako lang ibalik ko niya sa akong angay nga mabutangan para makatabang sab ko sa iyang administrasyon,” said Duero. 

(I only want that he will put me where I should be and allow me to help his administration).

He pointed out that the people’s taxes that went to his salary would just be a waste if he was just doing nothing, especially that Chan has appointed the former GSO head of Cebu City, Ronald Malacora, in his stead.

Duero was also perplexed when Chan appointed Clarito Inoc, a special agent of the office of the city mayor, as Olango Island’s Mini City Hall administrator, based on Chan’s memorandum.  Inoc was not available when this reporter was on Olango.

Duero, together with seven other regular employees who were identified with the Radazas hoped than Chan would forget politics now that the election is over.

“I would have been a productive employee to the city helping in the dispensation of public service, as politics is already over. Its time to work,” added Duero./elb