BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental provincial administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said yesterday he remains “at the beck and call” of Bacolod City mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez and is ready to assist him again if necessary.
Diaz made the declaration after his consultancy with the Bacolod city government ended on Dec. 31, 2022.
According to Diaz, anything that Benitez needed from him or from the provincial government could be provided to him with the consent of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, even without a consulting agreement.
Benitez earlier hired Diaz and two other executives in the provincial government as consultants after he took office as new mayor of the city in July last year.
Aside from Diaz, two other executives, Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital (TLJPH) chief Dr. Mary Ann Maestral and Provincial Investment Officer Lucille Gelvolea, also became consultants for the city government.
Regional Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth) vice president Valerie Anne Hollero was also hired as consultant for Bacolod City.
Diaz added that Maestral will not continue as a consultant while he is unaware of Gelvolea and Hollero’s decisions./PN
