Acting city accountant resigns

CEBU, Philippines -  Arlene Rentuza, who was in acting capacity as assistant city accountant, is leaving City Hall even before Mayor Michael Rama could replace her from the post as designated officer-in-charge of the accounting department.

Last week, Rama announced that he is replacing Rentuza because he wants documents in the accounting department processed faster.

 The mayor earlier blamed the accounting office for the delayed payments to City Hall’s suppliers and contractors. This, after he learned that the City has yet pay for the food, canned goods and housing materials it gave to fire victims last year, amounting to millions of pesos. The mayor has yet to name his chosen replacement.

But Rentuza, who is resigning from her position effective March 31, clarifies that her resignation has nothing to do with the early pronouncement of Rama.

Rentuza also did not answer criticisms against her over the delayed payments to suppliers and contractors in relation to the fire incident happened in T. Padilla last year.

“The decision to leave a very challenging job with the Cebu City Government was painstakingly arrived at after seven months of intense soul searching, unceasing prayer for discernment and emotional deliberation with my family,” Rentuza said in her letter addressed to the mayor.

Rentuza said that leaving the City Hall “never came easy for me to weigh the options,” saying that her colleagues in the accounting department oftentimes ask her who will look after their organization.

Rentuza, who was an assistant department head since 2006, explained that she never had any intention to stay at the City Hall even when the position for department head, or as city accountant, was opened in 2008.

“They open that position since August but wala gyud ko midawat ug mi-apply,” Rentuza said. Rentuza also said she is grateful for the opportunity she had in the past four years and six-months.— (FREEMAN)