Gov's b-day wish: More blessings for the province

CEBU, Philippines – On her 55th birthday yesterday, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia wishes for continuous blessings for the province and promised to double her efforts in giving her service to the people.

"My wish centers on Cebu, I hope and I pray for continued blessings for our province and the guidance from the almighty to be able to sustain and achieve more for our province," she said.

She added that serving the people as a governor is a great challenge to her since the public is used to having a man for a governor.

"As a first woman governor in Cebu, I need to prove something so kung unsay inyong nakita sa milabay nga unom ka tuig tungod kay inyo man akong gigasahan ug talagsaon ug bulawanong kahigayunan sa pag-alagad kaninyo, ug sa akong ikatulo ug katapusang termino akong doblehon ang akong mga pagpaningkamot alang kaninyo agig pasalamat aning inyong gasa kanako," she said.

Garcia, the first governor to declare war against insurgency, crime and illegal drugs, said she is also challenging the law enforcement agencies to cooperate with the province.

"I'm glad in the Province of Cebu our PNP, NBI, PDEA, together with Regional State Prosecutor, Provincial Prosecutor and the Judiciary joined hands to fight criminality in the province."

The governor also went to CPDRC and gave the inmates toiletries, slippers and rosaries.

"Nagpasalamat ko sa mga inmates, no matter how many bridges are constructed and how many roads are asphalted, the most important thing is the transformation of our inmates' lives," she said.

The famous dancing inmates gifted the governor with a performance.

Last week, as his "birthday gift" to the governor, whistleblower and vice governor's personal consultant Crisologo Saavedra filed a case of Anti-Graft and Corruption to the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas and Abuse of Authority to the Office of the President against Garcia and her 19 consultants.

Saavedra wants the salary of the 19 consultants to be returned to the government coffers saying the consultants hired by the governor are unauthorized.

He added that there should be a resolution from the board authorizing the governor to enter into and signed the contract of the consultants.

"Retaining the services of a consultant is made through contract. And as provided in Section 22 of the Local Government Code, no contract may be entered into by the local chief executive in behalf of the local government unit without prior authorization by the sanggunian concerned, unless otherwise provided in the Code or pursuant to law or ordinance Section 465," a portion of the letter from Regional Director Pedro Noval reads.

Noval clarifies with regards to the vice governor to hire consultants whose compensation will be taken from the appropriation of the Provincial Board that the position as a consultant cannot be considered as appointment to any office in the government, and retaining the services of a consultant is by way of a contract.

Section 2, Rule XI of Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 40 S1998 states that consultancy services are non-government service and one where no employer-employee relationship exists. As such, the position as a consultant could not be considered as appointment to any office in the government.

One of the consultants, lawyer Jose Maria Gastardo said that as far as legality is concerned, the consultants in the Office of the Vice Governor and in the PB should be included in the list.

"They questioned the act of hiring consultants, there are more, they should not single out because the discussion is in the act of hiring consultants and not an appointed of a certain person. If he wanted to address his question of consultants it should include all consultants," he told reporters.

As far as legality is concerned and with regards to the list submitted, this is an incomplete list of consultants in the provincial government because there are also consultants under the office of the PB which are not included in the list. - Ria Mae Y. Booc and Gregg M. Rubio/BRP (FREEMAN)