City council can't act on plea to stop Day-as' Lakbay Aral

The Cebu City Council could not act on a barangay councilwoman's letter-complaint that sought to stop temporarily the barangay council's Lakbay Aral project, which has been scheduled this December 27.

The complaint, filed by Day-as councilwoman Suzette Quijano, was put on the city council's agenda only last December 20, and Vice Mayor Michael Rama said it would be difficult now to deliberate on the matter at this time.

The city council then referred the complaint of Quijano to the committee on barangay affairs, chaired by councilor Eugenio Faelnar who is the president of the city's Association of Barangay Councils.

Faelnar however noted: "I don't think we could stop the Lakbay Aral considering that we just receive the letter last Tueday (December 19)."

In her two-page complaint sent to the city council, Quijano pointed out that her name and of her daughter, Day-as Sangguniang Kabataang chairman Rafonzel, were not included in the barangay's Lakbay Aral activity.

Named in their stead were a barangay daycare worker and a midwife, complained Quijano, as she questioned the propriety of the barangay officials in canceling their names without informing her of the activity.

"Was it proper and legal for them to substitute them with a daycare worker and a midwife who are not members of the barangay council and not elected barangay officials?" Quijano said in her complaint.

Quijano asked the city council to order the barangay council to stop temporarily the activity until such time her case against the activity will be resolved, either for or against her.

The Lakbay Aral activity proposal was taken up in the barangay council before December and the Quijanos were reportedly absent from those sessions. - Garry B. Lao