By: Emme Rose Santiagudo
THE supposedly joyous opening of the 82nd Charter Day Celebration of Iloilo City on July 29, 2019 was marred by rants of Mayor Jerry Treñas against some department heads at the City Hall.
During the regular flag ceremony on Monday, Treñas could not help but express his frustration on alleged malpractices of some City Hall officials.
“Aton mga palangga nga empleyado sa siyudad sang Iloilo, gusto naton nga ang siyudad ta ma-level up pero kadamo sang problema parehas sang una sa City Engineering Office (CEO) sa idalom sang nagligad nga nagpungko dira,” he lamented.
The CEO, which was previously headed by Bobby Divinagracia, got an earful from the mayor for the purported slow and disorganized release of permits.
“Ang ila permits nila like building permits ginapabudlayan, tinuig indi ma-issue-han sang occupancy permit. May iban pa subong nga wala pa occupancy permit, amo na palihog lang kun indi ninyo kaya ubrahon ina, mangita kita sang tawo nga maka-issue sang building permit kag mga occupancy permit,” he lamented.
The Iloilo City Planning and Development Office headed by Jose Roni “Butch” Peñalosa was also under fire for its failure to update the zoning plans of some areas in the city.
“May investor from Negros nagsugid sa akon nga mapatindog tani diri pero gin-deny ila zoning kay indi kuno compliant. Nagsaka sila asta babaw sa Zoning Board of Appeals, gin-deny man gihapon. Bilog na da nga duta halin sa Brgy. San Isidro I La Paz, pakadto sa Brgy. Bituon, Jaro ang aton kuno da classification residential. Kita kamo da balay?” Treñas said.
The mayor also mentioned the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) which was called out by the Commission on Audit (COA) for handing out social pensions to unqualified beneficiaries.
“Kung CSWDO man, may ara man findings ang COA sa akon, ginsaylo ko diri sa opsina ko ang mga financial assistance and ginsulatan ako sang department head, duha ka pages nga sulat nga kuno indi pagkuhaon sa iya, ay ano nga klase ini,” he lamented.
Based on the recent COA findings, a total of 420 unqualified beneficiaries received pensions in 2018 amounting to P1,830,000.
Treñas also ranted at the Local Civil Registrar for charging P8,000 for those who prefer to apply for marriage without fulfilling certain requirements such as tree planting and marriage seminars.
“Ang sa aton Local Civil Registrar, kun gusto mo magpakasal ka, wala sang seminar, indi ka na mag tree-planting, bayad ka P8,000 and ang imo Mayor’s Permit para sa imo kasal kuhaon mo didto sa Zarraga ukon sa Leganes,” he said.
The mayor also admitted forcing some department heads in the City Hall, particularly the head of the Local Civil Registrar to file leave of absence.
“Ngaa ginpaleave ko ang aton Civil Registrar. P8,000 para gali indi ka na mag-seminar kag tree-planting, amo na ang mga rason. Tapos ma-celebrate kita sang Charter Day, ano ginaselebrar ta di? Maayo pa padala ko kamo sa Malacañang kag paatubangon ko kamo kay Pres. Duterte,” he lamented.
Treñas also could not help but mention the names of some department heads such as CSWDO Head Gene Garingalao and City Planning Officer ‘Butch’ Peñalosa.
“Butch buligan ta ang pumuluyo. Mabulig ka sa akon kon indi? Ikaw ya Gene? Pangimatyan mo na da ang financial assistance? Kun indi kamo magtaha sa akon, palagyo kamo sa akon. Pangimatyan mo gid da ang kwarta. Amo na gapangabay ko sa inyo, ginhawa ko man ka-hulat, nga hinay-hinay pero tan-aw ko indi gid madala sa hinay-hinay,” he said.
He warned that he will mention the names of the departments and the employees who commit malpractices at the City Hall every Monday.
“Subong kada flag ceremony, kun sin-o nga department may sala, lawagon ko di sa flag ceremony naton kada Lunes. Kinahanglan ko inyo kooperasyon, pero kon indi kamo mabulig kada flag ceremony, kamo ang ari diri sa atubangan, kag atubangon niyo ang tanan nga empleyado,” he announced.
The mayor appealed to all city hall employees to cooperate and help the public with transactions at the City Hall.
“Indi ako magtugot nga pabudlayan niyo ang mga pumuluyo diri sa siyudad sang Iloilo, klaruhay kita so nagapasalamat ako kag gapangayo gid ako sang inyo bulig, nga tadlungon naton diri sa syudad,” he said.
