Resurrected

"The commission has spoken."

That’s what the victims of Eastern Samar Acting Gov. Marcelo Ferdinand Picardal’s fascistic governance must be feeling after the Civil Service Commission Regional Office VIII declared that at least three of the “Detail Orders” issued in January this year, assigning provincial employees to far-flung areas, were not in order.

 In her Decision to their Joint Appeal, CSCRO-8 Director Victoria Esber even lambasted Picardal for ordering the transfer of Helen Cadalin, Rowel Moscosa and Vivian Lavado without their consent.

Esber said Cadalin, Moscosa and Lavado occupy station-specific assignments; hence, they cannot be reassigned to other station or workplace for more than one year, unless consent is given, which the CSC director said “is clearly violative of appellants’ appointments.”

Moreover, Esber said Picardal failed to prove existence of an urgent necessity to augment the manpower in the hospitals where Cadalin, Moscosa and Lavado were transferred, even as Picardal invoked exigency of service was used as basis for the transfer.

Also, Esber said the transfer orders failed to consider circumstances relative to the place of work and status of affected employees, including financial burden and dislocation.  

The Decision said Moscosa would spend some P7,000 in monthly transportation expenses—36 percent of his salary—to and from his new assignment and his residence. Lavado would incur around P6,300 in monthly transport expenses, P900 more than her net take home pay of P5,400. Cadalin would spend about P6,300 in  monthly fare, which is about 65 percent of her P9,400 net take home pay.

While Esber said the Civil Service recognizes Picardal’s discretion as head of agency to reassign his employees, she stressed that such discretion should be exercised prudently, never whimsically, capriciously and arbitrarily, in accordance with civil service rules and regulations.

Director Esber also said detail or reassignment powers cannot be “used as a convenient shield for the appointing or disciplining authority to harass or oppress a subordinate on the pretext of advancing and promoting public interest.”

Moscosa holds the post of Local Revenue Collection Officer III stationed at the Provincial Treasurer’s Office, in Borongan City, Eastern Samar when he was transferred to Felipe Abrigo Memorial Hospital, in Guiuan, which is 112 kilometers from his original station.

Cadalin has been appointed Provincial Planning and Development Officer III, stationed at the Provincial Planning and Development Office, while Lavado occupies an Administrative Aide II position at the Human Resource Management Office, both  at the Provincial Capitol in Borongan City, Eastern Samar. They were transferred to Albino Duran Memorial Hospital, in Balangiga town, which is around 108 kilometers from their original station. 

Last January, Picardal ordered their reassignment to satellite offices located more than a hundred kilometers from the provincial office, which according to sources, arose not from urgency, but from their identification with Eastern Samar Congressman Ben Evardone, who is gunning for the gubernatorial post this coming May against Picardal.

And if this indeed is Picardal’s brand of leadership, it might be better for the Eastern Samareños give him a dose of his own medicine by dumping him in an isolated island thousands of kilometers away from civilzation.

Who’s winning in Metro Manila’s premier cities?

While different polling firms are coming up with different figures relative to the May 13 polls, it seems they agree that incumbents and familiar names are leading the way in forthcoming elections. This is epspecially true in Metro Manila’s premier cities.

A survey conducted by the RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc. released on Saturday showed that in Taguig, former Rep. Lino Cayetano, brother-in-law of incumbent Mayor Lani Cayetano, is leading by miles against his opponent, Rep. Arnel Cerafica, 70 percent to 27 percent.

In the City of Manila, former vice mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso is still leading at 47 percent against incumbent Mayor Erap Estrada with 30 percent, and  former Mayor Alfredo Lim, 15 percent.

In Pasig City Mayor Roberto “Bobby Eusebio” maintained a strong lead of 68 percent against City Councilor Vico Sotto, son of television host Vic Sotto, who scored 29 percent only.

In San Juan City, former Vice Mayor Francis Zamora is ahead of the race with 55 percent against Vice Mayor Janella Estrada with 43 percent.

In Makati, it’s Binay against Binay as Abigail leads her brother, Junjun, 67 percent to 36 percent.

In Quezon City, Vice Mayor Belmonte is ahead by 26 percent over Rep. Bingbong Crisologo (36 percent) and former Rep. Chuck Mathay (1 percent).

With only three weeks to go, it might be safe to say these early leaders would eventually end up winners unless something dramatic happens in the campaign’s final turn.