ILOILO City – Mayor Jose Espinosa III assured the city government’s unpaid contractual workers they will get their salaries in due time as he is now taking actions to resolve the budgetary issue. “I am not sleeping on it,” Espinosa stressed.
The mayor said he cannot yet disclose what these measures are but added he “has a timeline” and “is doing [his] best to settle the obligations.”
Espinosa earlier warned City Treasurer Jinny Hermano of facing charges should the latter persist in defying his order.
Hermano has refused signing the payrolls of the “excess job hires” since the offices they work for exceeded their monthly allocations under a 2018 reenacted budget.
“Kon lapaw sa appropriation, wala basis ang opisina sa pagbayad sang sobra,” said Hermano.
According to Espinosa, politics is behind Hermano’s defiance.
“Ako ‘ya nagapati nga may pulitika ini. Ina ‘ya kinanglan nga tagaan sang aksyon. Gin-ubrahan na nila. Ginahulat na sang pamilya nila para sa ila kalan-on kag gatas sang ila kabataan,” the mayor said.
He also hinted that some city hall employees are plotting against Hermano over the issue.
“Bati ko may mga empleyado and association nga may ginabuko nga something…Ako ‘ya I stand – as advised by the City Legal Office – that their salaries be given,” Espinosa said.
MORE JOB HIRES
Despite the issue, Espinosa said the city government still hires additional contractual workers.
They were assigned in several offices where they are needed, the mayor added.
“Kita ko nga daw kinahanglanon gid. Executive call na ‘ya ang mga additional nga tawo,” he said.
Espinosa – who seeks reelection against his brother-in-law incumbent Iloilo City representative Jerry Treñas in the May 13, 2019 polls – cited the city’s beautification program.
He said it needs more personnel to look after the flowers and plants across the metro.
The city government drew flak in the past for allegedly taking for granted the flowers and plants on Benigno S. Aquino Avenue (Diversion Road).
“Sa beautification ta, akon pa tawo ang nagapamunyag. There are department heads nga nagapangayo [additional personnel]. Sa other department ‘ya kon may makita ko nga need, I take it upon sa power sang executive to augment kay ti kinanglan,” said Espinosa, adding that he does not want to be blamed for not addressing this kind of problems.
He also stressed that hiring more city personnel is not part of his election propaganda.
“Basta pangontra amo gid ang ihambal pero sa tiempo nila, amo man na sila. Sus ah, updanay kami ngaa indi ko mabal-an ang hinimuan nila man,” the mayor said.
Meanwhile, Espinosa downplayed the Bureau of Local Government Finance’s (BLGF) statement supporting Hermano.
BLGF regional director Gilbert Gumabay said Hermao acted accordingly when he turned down Espinosa’s order to sign the payrolls of the job hires.
“Ngaa ma-back-up sia kon waay man may gapamangkot sa iya? Ngaa ‘bi mahambal ka gid ‘ya ‘bi? Ano labot mo ‘ya? Local ‘ni ‘ya. Ngaa maintra ka?” Espinosa said.
He added: “Siguro namangkot naman sia (Hermano) to e kay wala sia gapamangkot sa mayor mo. Didto sia gadiretso kon diin naman sia mangita sang apin ‘ya.”/PN
