IN an attempt to strike a happy compromise about a controversial reshuffle move, some Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) field officers extend their stay in their areas of assignments, but not for long.
Of the 23 who were re-assigned to different Bohol towns, 6 MLGOOs get to stay in their respective areas of assignments until December, while field men who are “accepted” in their new town assignments are deemed transferred effective immediately.
For the 6 towns, Regional Director Pedro A. Noval said they would have two MLGOOs, the outgoing and the incoming, so that the transition is smoothened and two officers would join hands in local operations until full implementations happen in January of next year.
The reshuffle has generated resentment among some mayors who admit they were not consulted and their out-going MLGOOs did not appraise them of the policy despite alleged expressed instructions from the regional and provincial offices.
The move to retain the 6 MLGOOs did not fare well among the six mayors however.
The six mayors said they were just representing the mayors league members and if the deferred move applies to them, it should apply to all the 23 towns.
Mayors have bemoaned of losing a key cog in the governance machinery at a bad time when operations are at full speed.
But DILG Regional Director Pedro A. Noval Jr. invoked a department policy of allowing their people to grow by exposing their field men to different assignments.
DILG provincial director Rustica Mascariñas also turned emotional when she stood to defend the order by claiming that she personally instructed field officers to notify the mayors.
“Twice we instructed them about the reshuffling in line with the national government’s streamlining plan. I am sorry if I have offended [mayors], but I cant do away with a department order, a teary Mascariñas wavered in front of a majority of league members gathered at the Governor’s Mansion Thursday.
Meanwhile, Noval was also all apologies for what could be a default by the department’s field officers even as he vowed to reprimand and deal with those who apparently did not follow the proper courtesies and conduct of government workers.
On the other hand, the mayors admitted they have nothing against the department policy, but they deserve to be consulted and at least informed of the decisions as courtesy they deserve by hosting the MLGOOs in their town halls.
Over his apologies, Reg. Dir Noval promised he would personally see to it that the department sends the proper communications to the mayors the next time the department implements another move. (rachiu/PIA)
