Most CITOM personnel to remain casuals

CEBU, Philippines - The departmentalization of the Cebu City Traffic Operations and Management does not guarantee that all traffic enforcers will automatically become regular employees of the city government.

CITOM executive director Arnel Tancinco said only 70 personnel will have a plantilla position under the new Cebu City Transportation Office and most of these are supervisory positions.   This would mean that most of the 576 existing CITOM personnel will have to remain casual employees. At present only three CITOM personnel have plantilla positions, one of them is Tancinco as its executive director and two others from the legal office.

Mayor-elect Michael Rama said that only crucial positions will be regularized under the CCTO.

“Kana lang kinahanglan og expertise and capability. Wala pa ko’y nadawat na application kay di pa man ko mayor,” Rama said.

Tancinco has already expressed his willingness to apply as the CCTO department head. The CITOM board is currently chaired by outgoing councilor Sylvan Jakosalem.

Tancinco also said that he already identified some CITOM personnel who he might endorse as division chiefs.

From the present 576 personnel, the number will balloon to 700 when the CCTO is finally created. The main purpose of departmentalizing the traffic committee is to allow for more personnel that will man the traffic operations in the city.

According to the ordinance creating the CCTO, traffic congestion has become a major problem to all commuters especially during peak hours.

The problem even grows larger with the limited number of traffic personnel who can solve congestion and implement the traffic code of the city in cases when violations are observed.   (THE FREEMAN)