Problem of personnel manning City Hall CCTV tackled anew

CEBU, Philippines - The issue of personnel manning Cebu City Hall’s digital surveillance system resurfaced in yesterday’s deliberation for the 2014 annual budget.

The Civil Service Unit (CSU), the group that mans the Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras at City Hall, has proposed a budget of P1.5 million for its operations next year but Councilor Alvin Arcilla said the operation is quite useless if no one monitors at night.

At present, CSU personnel are on duty only from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

“Di ko ganahan mogasto ta og milyon if mahimo ra og decoration ang mga CCTV kay kini importante gyud nga na’y magbantay 24-hours kay para gud ni sa safety sud sa City Hall (I don’t want us to spend a million if the CCTV cameras will only look like decorations because it’s necessary that monitoring is 24 hours. The concern is about safety at City Hall),” Arcilla said.

Councilor Alvin Dizon pointed out that when he already lost his laptop at his office on his first term as councilor. The case has not been resolved since.

CSU head Ramon Ortiz explained they only have 14 employees on duty during regular office hours and no one mans the surveillance at night.

He assured the council that his men are capable and have had proper training, but 14 employees just aren’t enough, considering that some of  his men also have other assignments.

“Naa mi tawo sa gawas kay di raman pagbantay sa security inside City Hall amoang trabaho (We have people who are also in the field because we have other jobs aside from monitoring security at City Hall),” Ortiz said.

This is precisely the reason, Ortiz said, that they have tapped the help of the blue guards who are on duty at night.

Councilor Dave Tumulak announced yesterday that three personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be assigned regularly at City Hall to support the CSU operation. —(FREEMAN)