Raymond: “No sacred cows” at City Hall

CEBU, Philippines — Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has assured the City Council that there are no “sacred cows” in his administration and vowed to look into the concerns raised by Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos against the management of Cebu City Health Department.

In a privilege speech Wednesday, de los Santos again called out city health officer Dr. Daisy Villa for alleged “tyranny, impropriety, inefficiency, and ethical violations”.

Delos Santos lamented that she had been calling out Villa but the latter allegedly ignored even resolutions from the council. She added that the executive department also has not done something about it.

“With all these complaints and no action from the executive, I can only surmise and ask in frustration, are there sacred cows in your administration Acting Mayor Raymond Garcia?” de los Santos raised the question during her speech.

Reacting to the privilege speech, Garcia said there are no “sacred cows” in his administration. Although he promised to look into the issues but the acting mayor refused to comment on a specific issue.

“Wa man gyud tay sacred cow uy…we will look into that,” said Garcia.

Garcia also promised to take action on the council’s request to direct the resident Ombudsman to conduct a thorough investigation and review the administrative operations of the City Health Department.

He said his office will look into the request and evaluate the situation.

“I mean, I have been a listening Acting Mayor for several weeks. Kung naay mga reklamo kay naay mag anomaliya, ako man gyud ng ipatan-aw. So rest assured, we will look into that,” said Garcia.

When asked if he also received complaints against the City Health Department, Garcia said he did not.

On May 29, 2024, delos Santos also delivered a privilege speech calling out Villa for alleged lack of transparency. A resolution was then passed requesting Garcia to call Villa’s attention.

Delos Santos was complaining about the alleged lack of cooperation by the CHD following an uncoordinated pneumococcal and flu vaccination in her barangay. It did not sit well with delos Santos that the CHD failed to coordinate with the barangay officials of Lahug before conducting the vaccination.

The councilor wants Garcia to impose a disciplinary action against Villa for willfully ignoring resolutions from the council.

De los Santos also said that some of the issues against Villa have already reached the Civil Service Commission which calls out the attention of the Human Resource Development (HRDO) to take an appropriate action on a complaint for grave abuse of authority.

Among the pressing issues raised in the complaint, delos Santos said, is the alleged inhumane working conditions of the midwives.

She alleged that the city health issued a memorandum that is detrimental to the city health workers, especially midwives.

“If a midwife on 24-hour duty does not deliver a baby during her shift, they are not entitled for an off-duty time the following day,” delos Santos quoted an alleged memorandum issued by Villa.

Aside from this, de los Santos also said that they received reports of severe shortage of medical supplies, lack of transparency in the distribution of allowance and benefits as well as the alleged oppressive environment. –/FPL (FREEMAN)