Council to hold off-site session in Bonbon today

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council will hold an off-site session in Barangay Bonbon this morning in line with their thrust to open the official business of the council to the public for transparency.

This is to reach out to the constituents in the mountain barangays who have less access to the City Hall where the council holds its regular session.

This is also to allow the barangay council to observe how the City Council holds its session.

The council passed a resolution making Bonbon as the pilot site for the off-site session today which will be held at 10 a.m.

This is however subject to change should there be unexpected occurrences such as bad weather.

The second off-site session will be held in Barangay Guba on October 26. Typhoon Ramon is bringing in rains that affect Cebu City and other parts of the island.

All public hearings that were scheduled supposedly today were rescheduled to October 19 or on the day that it is most convenient while all hearings scheduled on October 26 were rescheduled on November 9.

The original proposal was to hold the off-site session at least twice every quarter but Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said it would be prudent if they assess first the result of the two pilot off-site sessions before they decide to hold it regularly.

In an October 6 memorandum to the officials and staff of the Legislative Department issued by Young, the councilors were advised to bring a hard copy of the Agenda in case there will be technical failure.

All of the councilors must fully charge their laptops. The council is now implementing a paperless agenda. — (FREEMAN)