Ex-officio board member Prince Demaala IV is questioning the alleged unjustified number of job orders approved during the administration of incumbent Mayor Gerandy Danao.
Demaala said that there are around 345 job orders and casual employees accepted by Danao without the necessary budget allocation for their monthly salary. He said that the municipal budget office is asking for P2.9 million for the salary of the employees from September 1 to October 15 which is questionable.
He said the information was based on a Commission on Audit (COA) report.
“Humihingi sila ng budget pampasweldo around P2.9 million, ang kini-question namin dyan kasi ang sobrang laki para sa 345 na casual employees na para lang sa loob ng 45 days from September 1 to October 15. Paano naman ang October 16 to December 31? Ang sabi sa amin ay kailangan pa ng P5.2 million,” Demaala said.
He also compared that during the administration of his mother Lucena Demaala as the local chief executive, they only allotted around six to eight million for the whole year intended for the salary of the employees.
Demaala said that around P17 million should be allocated every year for 345 employees, which are higher than the regular allocation.
“Ang ating job order last year ay only six to eight million for the whole year na para sa more than 200 katao pero ngayon ang hinihingi nilang budget sa amin ay wala kaming maiprovide. Kung itutuloy nila ang 345 na empleyado ay aabot ‘yon ng around P18 million every year, napalaki at napakarami ng pwedeng makinabang doon,” he said.
Demaala added that employees allegedly started working without signing contracts.
“Maliban doon ay pinagtrabaho nila ang mga tao na walang kontrata at walang kaukulang pondo, unang step ay dapat may kontrata. Nakakaawa ang mga tao, nagta-trabaho tapos ngayon sasabihin delayed ang sweldo at hindi namin kasalanan ‘yon [sa sanggunian] dahil naglalagay lang kami ng pondo pero hindi pwede na buwan-buwan ay hihingian kami ng walang plano,” he said.
According to him, the municipal government will probably lay off the employees from work due to a lack of budget. In addition, he said that P2.9 million will be coming from the unappropriated balance in the fiscal year 2019 augmented from drugs and medical expenses and subsidy for barangay tanod.
In response, Danao denied the accusations and said that they are currently settling documents of different transactions in the municipal government including the contract of the employees.
“Hindi naman po totoo ‘yan ang mga sinasabi na ganyan, bago palang tayo sa ating posisyon kaya may mga ongoing na mga inaasikasong mga papeles para sa mga job order at casual employees,” he said.
Danao said that other details to support their claim will follow.
