Some dads decline Lakbay approval

CEBU, Philippines - A proposal for Cebu City department heads to join a lakbay aral (learning journey) in Manila had a few City Council members declining to vote for its approval.

Although majority approved yesterday the proposed measure for the expenses of 45 department heads and assistant department heads traveling to Metro Manila by the end of the month, City Councilors Margarita Osmeña, Mary Ann de los Santos, Alvin Arcilla, Alvin Dizon, Eugenio Gabuya and David Tumulak abstained from agreeing to its passage.

Authored by City Councilor Lea Japson, the resolution requested for the allocation of P800,000 for City Hall’s 45 department heads and assistant heads attending the “Lakbay Aral: Sharing of Best Practices” on November 26 to November 29.

Japson said the department heads and assistant heads would learn the best practices in the health program and environment improvement of Makati City and the nutrition program and maintenance of the local government unit’s cemetery of Laguna.

They are also expected to learn from Marikina’s garbage collection process and river rehabilitation and Taguig City’s socialized housing project and nutrition program.

As Japson presented her resolution, however, Osmeña initially registered her objection.

“Why all department heads? I want to object because it is not clear to me what best practices in Manila are we trying to learn” Osmeña asked, adding that lakbay aral is already being discouraged.

Osmeña said the Commission on Audit has recommended in its annual audit report on the city’s finances that it should look for various activities where the city could save funds.

Upon hearing this, Councilor Nestor Archival asked for a two-minute recess so that members of the City Council could discuss the proposed resolution in private. 

After the recess, Osmeña withdrew her objection and instead registered her interest to abstain. Other Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan Councilors followed suit.

Mayor Michael Rama earlier authorized the city’s department heads and assistant department heads to travel.  

In a November 5 memorandum, Rama directed them to submit their post-training report and a photocopy of their Certificate of appearance after their Manila trip. —  (FREEMAN)