Mayor mulls revamp at urban poor office

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is mulling a revamp at the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) to further strengthen the office.

Rama tasked Tessie Fernandez, executive director of the Lihok Pilipina Foundation, Inc. and founder of DWUP, to review the organization and determine what needs to be done to improve the city’s service to the urban poor.

Fernandez will be assisted by consultant to the mayor, Margarita Matheu.

The mayor wants reorganization of DWUP after it failed to meet its collection target for 2010.

In its accomplishment report, DWUP declared a collection of P19 million, which is P22 million short of its 2010 target of P42 million or P3.5 million a month.

Matheu said that when he was tasked by the mayor to conduct a review of DWUP operation, she found out that most of its personnel are contractual.

She said only its head, Engr. Danilo Gabiana, has a regular position but his item is under the General Services Office.

The employment status of its personnel might have had an effect in their performance, she said, adding that DWUP handles a huge job yet it lacks in manpower. DWUP has 56 personnel.

When they continue their review of the organization, Matheu clarified that there might be some movements but not necessarily major ones.

DWUP was created through Ordinance 1524 passed by the City Council in 1994. It was formerly called the City Commission for the Urban Poor with Fernandez as the first commissioner in 1988.

The division is the implementing arm of all services for the urban poor of the city.

As of the 2007 record, it is servicing to some 58,712 urban poor families.   (FREEMAN NEWS)