Jonas donates salary to Umapad workers

CEBU, Philippines — Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes is donating his salary for the month of July to the 120 employees of Barangay Umapad who were not paid of their honorarium since January because of politics.

On top of Cortes’ personal donation, the barangay workers also received P5,000 each as financial assistance from the city government last week.

“Tungod sa politika sa barangay Umapad wala pa na sweldohan ang mga barangay paid workers sa Umapad. Sukad pa pag-Enero hangtod karon,” Cortes said.

The mayor lamented at how the barangay frontliners like tanods, health workers, and garbage collectors have become casualties of political bickering of the barangay officials.

“Kita as public servant, we have the moral obligation nga mohatag ta og serbisyo nga matinud-anon. Asa na man ang pagkamatinud-anon ani ang 120 ka mga barangay workers wala man gi sweldohan,” Cortes said.

He appealed to Barangay Councilor Libertine Lumapas to approve the documents needed for the release of the salaries of the workers.

“Hopefully, makapamalandong siya sa iyang gibuhat,” Cortes said, adding that the barangay’s peace and order as well as the solid waste management are already affected because of the non-payment of the honorarium.

In fact, the city government is now spending for the fuel allocation of the barangay.

Councilor Lumapas is the wife of former Umapad barangay captain Zaldy Lumapas, a known political ally of the Ouanos.

To recall, on May 30, 2024, job order employees Gemma Mata Ortega, Girlie Reyes Gabisan, Lea Gabisan Jimenez, Lima Sotchesa Organ and Erwina Batulan filed a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman-Viayas agains Lumapas for alleged oppression for not paying their salaries.

The complainants have asked the anti-graft office to place Lumapas under a six-month preventive suspension. They alleged that Lumapas refused to release their honorarium from January 1 to April 30, 2024 at P5,000 per month.

Despite the availability of funds, Lumapas allegedly refused to sign the payroll to certify the “existence of available appropriation for the charges/expenses”.

According to the complainants, they were asked to produce a DTR and appointment from the barangay captain to which they have already complied with. Despite having complied with the requirement, Lumapas reportedly refused to sign.

The complainants said Lumapas has gravely abused her authority just because she and the barangay captain do not belong to the same political camp. She also took advantage of their superiority in numbers in the Barangay Council.

“That is why she is demanding for the concurrence of the majority to our appointment, knowing that it is not obtainable,” the complainants said.

Lumapas and the majority of the councilors have also filed a separate complaint before the anti-graft office against Barangay Captain Reb Cortes and Treasurer April Melody Fernandez.

The barangay captain and the treasurer were accused of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 and for Grave Misconduct and Conduct unbecoming of a Public Official for their alleged refusal to also pay and release the honoraria of all barangay officials and personnel of the barangay.

“Our honoraria and that of all other barangay officials and personnel of Barangay Umapad, Mandaue City from January to April 2024 were not released on time and were only released in the second week of May 2024,” Lumapas and the majority of the councilmen said.

In an earlier interview, Lumapas insisted that her actions are in accordance with law.

“The issue at hand arose due to the irregularities in the appointment of the said workers by the Punong Barangay and delays on their compliance of the requirements which are mandated by the Commission on Audit,” said Lumapas. (CEBU NEWS)