JVR slashes JO quotas of Talisay City Council

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Mayor Johnny "JVR" V. De los Reyes has ordered the slashing of the two remaining job order quotas of the members of the City Council.

Last October 1, De los Reyes ordered the cutting down of the number of job order quotas for Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante and members of the City Council from two to zero.

He made the move basing on the newspaper reports which quoted Villarante urging the mayor to no longer hire new job order workers to avoid a possible deficit.

De los Reyes, in a recent phone interview with The FREEMAN, said he was granting the vice mayor's prayer.

"Kung mao na ilang gusto, hala, pwede ra man gani og wala aron sila mao'y mapasanginlan kung nganong hugaw ang Talisay," De los Reyes said.

However, the mayor failed to mention whether he was also willing to reduce the number of job order workers assigned under his quota. The mayor has currently hired 1,000 job order workers.

Villarante, in a separate interview, criticized the mayor's move, saying De los Reyes will again use the situation to convince the job order workers that the City Council is to blame.

"It only shows the mayor as vindictive to the extent of paralyzing the SP (Sangguniang Panlungsod) offices and to the prejudice of public service. Each city councilor is left with two co-terminus employees while the vice mayor has only three employees," Villarante said in a text message.

He added that he plans to file a complaint against the mayor before the Department of Interior and Local Government. — Gabriel C. Bonjoc, BANAT News