Exec to fight inside jobs with ‘buddy system’

CEBU, Philippines - Mandaue City treasurer Regal Oliva is eyeing to implement a "buddy system" at the City Treasurer's Office.

This means there will be at least two utility workers to clean the office after working hours unlike the current setup where only one worker is assigned to do the cleaning.

Oliva said he has to implement this so that workers will no longer have the chance to steal any property inside the office which recently lost a Lenovo laptop to its own worker.

He also said utility workers who will be assigned in his office will be subjected to a thorough background check before they are allowed to work.

Oliva admitted they were too complacent when they hired Jale Cane Sapatalo, the messenger who earlier stole the office laptop worth P23,000, because his mother was once awarded Most Outstanding Employee by the city.

During investigation, Sapatalo said he was forced to cart away the laptop after office hours last Thursday so he could have money to buy illegal drugs.

Oliva assured Mandauehanons that no taxpayers' money will be lost because at the end of the day, all collections are deposited to the nearby Landbank.

Oliva recalled an incident five years ago where the adjacent land tax division was also burglarized but the suspects failed to take away some cash.

He said there had been request made for the installation of closed-circuit television cameras but this, according to Oliva, would take time due to the bidding process. (FREEMAN)