But affected Council cries foul JVR to heed downsizing idea

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Mayor Johnny De los Reyes will be downsizing City Hall's job order workforce to avoid what he said was an impending fiscal crisis and not to compromise government projects and services.

De los Reyes said his decision came after the recommendation of the Commission on Audit during their exit conference last week, pointing that the city should adopt austerity measures by downsizing the numbers allotted to all departments, including the Office of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

The retrenchment order will take effect on May 1.

In his letter addressed to Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante, the mayor said the allotted number of job order workers for the vice mayor's office will be decreased from 100 to 50. For city councilors, the allotted job order workers will be trimmed down to 20 from 50.

Skeptics, however, are seeing mayor's move as something that may put his relationship with other officials in the brink of collapse.

In yesterday's session, Villarante summoned the mayor's executive secretary, Pastor Paypa, to shed light on this development, saying he sees "politics" on the move considering that he and some members of the council already hired workers for May quota.

"We already have the list of the job order personnel and the move was so drastic," Villarante said during the termination of the council house rule.

Villarante wanted to ask Paypa if the downsizing of job order workers only covers the legislative department.

"We are not totally against but is the mayor's quota at the executive department already reduced? As a leader of Talisay City, he should be fair and abide by the recommendation of the COA. He must also reduce his own quota," Villarante said.

Paypa, on the other hand, told the members of the council that the mayor is already aware that his action will generate negative reaction from his political foes and allies.

"We have to comply with what is being required by the COA," Paypa said, quoting from the recommendation of the agency to adopt austerity program by reducing the cost of expenses, such as hiring of job orders.

Paypa said if the city will not follow COA's recommendation, the city will encounter difficulty in delivering the basic services and development projects and will be at risk of facing legal suits from unpaid creditors.

Paypa dismissed Villarante's apprehension that there is "politics" behind the slashing of the numbers of job order personnel saying that the mayor's quota will also be reduced.

Paypa, however, had no idea when he was asked by Villarante as to how many job order workers under the Office of the Mayor will be slashed.

City Councilor Aldin Diaz, an ally to De los Reyes, passed a resolution asking the mayor to render a report to the council on the numbers of job order workers assigned in his office, including the list of confidential assistants and consultants.

Diaz said they needed to know on the total numbers of the mayor's job order employees so that they can make a comparison if there was indeed fairness in the mayor's action.