City Council seeks reforms at CEO
Councilor Perla Zulueta
No heads rolled in the result of investigation conducted by the Sangguniang Panglungsod on alleged anomalies at the City Engineer's Office (CEO).
Instead, the ad hoc committee chaired by Councilor Perla Zulueta which conducted the investigation on CEO officials recommended various reforms in the way transactions are addressed at the said office.
Whistle-blower Ricardo Gumabong earlier raised grave allegations against City Engineer Marito Amatorio and other CEO officials which prompted the city council investigation.
In Zulueta's report rendered during last Wednesday's regular session she cited several reforms which would eventually prevent CEO officials and personnel from engaging in anomalous transactions.
One of the committee's recommendations is to pass an ordinance prohibiting CEO employees, whether regular, casual or contractual from processing building, electrical and occupancy permit applications for a "fee" to discourage so-called fixers. The CEO personnel would also be barred from making "as built plan" for applicants in exchange for a fee.
The report was also referred to the committee on engineering, construction and public works for study and subsequent crafting of appropriate legislation. The committee on engineering is chaired by Councilor Jed Mabilog.
The committee likewise recommended that an ordinance be passed prescribing the use of a "routing slip" for all applications at the CEO. The routing slip should contain the dates when a particular application was received, approved and released for the effective monitoring of its progress. This is also to determine where the delay usually takes place.
Zulueta's committee also suggested the passing of ordinance setting procedures to be followed in the application for building, electrical and occupancy permits with a penal clause for those who would violate said procedures.
The committee also recommends a thorough evaluation of the duties and responsibilities of Architect Eduardo Chu as chief of the Building Code Division and to limit his responsibilities only to his job description. This is to prevent him from further imposing his will capriciously on applicants.
The committee also said "Chu can be held administratively liable for nonfeasance" or for failure or refusal to act on a matter well within his duties even after a lapse of a considerable period of time.
The CEO should also be required to submit to the office of the mayor and copy furnished the Sangguniang Panglungsod a monthly inventory report of all supplies and equipment to be prepared by an inventory clerk.
The committee also recommended that there should be a uniform-prepared Order of Payment form. This is to prevent the form from being tampered. The Order of Payment Form must have reference number and cover all transactions pertaining to payments. Those tasked to fill out these forms should be required to fill out all the necessary information asked for in the form. The forms would be returned back to section chiefs for their initial which would show that the fees appearing in the form are what they have assessed in the particular application.
The committee also recommended that an ordinance should be passed providing for the retention of the Sangguniang Kabataan share from Building Permit fee collections. The release of the share would be based on their performance in monitoring and reporting to the CEO illegal constructions in their respective barangays.
A complaint box for the CEO should also be placed in the mayor's office to encourage the public to air their concern against the office. The key of the complaint box should be kept by the SP to prevent unauthorized persons from illegally taking its content.
The committee likewise recommends that documents and pieces of evidence contained in their report be made available to anyone who would want to use them for whatever purpose they may deem it necessary.
Copies of Zulueta's report would also be sent to Mayor Jerry Treñas, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane and to DPWH Regional Director Rolando Asis.