Rama asks Villarete to go on as CTO in-charge

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has designated Emma Villarete to continue acting as officer-in-charge of the Cebu City Treasurer’s Officer.

Rama clarified that before the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF)-7 sent a communication designating Assistant City Treasurer for Operations Tessie Camarillo to act as CTO’s caretaker, he already asked Villarete to continue with her duties at the CTO even with the expiration of her designation as OIC of CTO last week.

“I think they should resolve it because before they made their communication, I already designated Emma Villarete to continue. I made a formal letter addressed to her so as not to create a hiatus, as suggested and implemented by the city administrator,” said Rama.

He said that he made the formal letter the day before BLGF’s communication came.

 â€œEmma (Villarete) is doing her job in the best of her ability to fill in the gap. So it’s in my view, let it be continued,” Rama said.

The Department of Finance has yet to appoint a permanent city treasurer.

 â€œThe best thing that BLGF should do is to connect with me and should have asked if I have somebody in mind, so that I can tell them who’s in my mind. They should know how to address this kind of problem,” Rama said.

BLGF-7 Regional Director Carmelane Tugas has designated Camarillo as caretaker until the Department of Finance can designate a new city treasurer.

Camarillo assumed the duties and functions of city treasurer in a caretaker capacity in order to prevent disruption of the operations of the local treasury office. — (FREEMAN)