04 October 2005
OPINION: Alcala town hall sheds old image
The Pen Speaks
Danny O. Sagun
WE just received info at presstime that Mayor Benjie Lim has directed all offices at City Hall to surrender their office-purchased TV sets and refs in line with the energy conservation program of the government borne out by the continuing rise in prices of oil in the world market.
Good and correct move, Mayor! What’s the use of those appliances anyway but only to serve the personal interests of the office’s personnel?
There are offices in government agencies and business establishments, like banks, that maintain TV sets for their clients and customers. The objective is obvious —- to lessen the boredom on the part of the clients waiting for their turn.
It’s different however if the TV set serves only the office workers who spend their time watching TV program during office hours, instead of concentrating on their work.
We wonder however if Benjie’s move would cover the sangguniang panlungsod, which falls under the supervision of the vice-mayor, who by law, is independent of the executive branch. We’ll just see once we take a peep at the sanggunian session one time these coming days.
*****
Tita Llarenas, sangguniang bayan secretary of Alcala town, urged us to see for ourselves the façade of the town hall when we covered the town’s 130th foundation day celebration two Tuesdays ago. Why she bid us to do so was in connection with our column several years back about the town hall being made an instant marketplace. All kinds of merchandise were then being displayed right at the building’s doorsteps!
We obliged and we saw a different scene. No more RTWs hanging by the building’s sides, potteries displayed at the steps and makeshift stalls adjoining the town hall.
Tita and the budget officer (sorry we forgot her name) during lunch, after the awarding ceremony for the outstanding sons an daughters and the awarding of land titles to some 17 claimants to the controversial Pindangan Estate at the gym, said that our column sort of jarred the officials’ senses. It was an eye-opener, the budget officer told us.
We were delighted to note that the town officials took our criticism in stride and did the right thing.
Mabuhay kayo on your 130th year! More power to the properly sensitive officials of that town. May your tribe increase!
Danny O. Sagun
WE just received info at presstime that Mayor Benjie Lim has directed all offices at City Hall to surrender their office-purchased TV sets and refs in line with the energy conservation program of the government borne out by the continuing rise in prices of oil in the world market.
Good and correct move, Mayor! What’s the use of those appliances anyway but only to serve the personal interests of the office’s personnel?
There are offices in government agencies and business establishments, like banks, that maintain TV sets for their clients and customers. The objective is obvious —- to lessen the boredom on the part of the clients waiting for their turn.
It’s different however if the TV set serves only the office workers who spend their time watching TV program during office hours, instead of concentrating on their work.
We wonder however if Benjie’s move would cover the sangguniang panlungsod, which falls under the supervision of the vice-mayor, who by law, is independent of the executive branch. We’ll just see once we take a peep at the sanggunian session one time these coming days.
*****
Tita Llarenas, sangguniang bayan secretary of Alcala town, urged us to see for ourselves the façade of the town hall when we covered the town’s 130th foundation day celebration two Tuesdays ago. Why she bid us to do so was in connection with our column several years back about the town hall being made an instant marketplace. All kinds of merchandise were then being displayed right at the building’s doorsteps!
We obliged and we saw a different scene. No more RTWs hanging by the building’s sides, potteries displayed at the steps and makeshift stalls adjoining the town hall.
Tita and the budget officer (sorry we forgot her name) during lunch, after the awarding ceremony for the outstanding sons an daughters and the awarding of land titles to some 17 claimants to the controversial Pindangan Estate at the gym, said that our column sort of jarred the officials’ senses. It was an eye-opener, the budget officer told us.
We were delighted to note that the town officials took our criticism in stride and did the right thing.
Mabuhay kayo on your 130th year! More power to the properly sensitive officials of that town. May your tribe increase!
