BY CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia issued Executive Order No. 14-A or an order creating the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the 2022 Local Governance Transition Team.
Leonardia had issued E.O. 14, Series of 2022 on April 7 for the effective turnover of responsibilities to ensure continuity in local governance, which is composed of the City Mayor as chairperson, all department/office heads, the Secretary of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, and a representative from a civil society organization or people’s organization as its members.
With the large composition of the transition team, the mayor deemed it more efficient that a technical working group be created to collate all the required documents from the members of the team and coordinate with the newly-elected officials or their authorized representatives, the order said.
City Administrator Edward Joseph Cuansing yesterday said that since the composition of the transition team based on the Department of Local Government Circular was so huge because it involved all the department and office heads, the Mayor and other city officials, so they decided to narrow the composition to only 12 people coming from the finance offices and the City Planning and Development Office so they can meet conveniently.
The TWG will be composed of Acting Secretary to the Mayor Ma. Victoria Parrenas as head and members composed of the City Administrator/assistant City Administrator, City Legal Officer/assistant CLO, Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod, City Treasurer, City Accountant, City Budget Officer, City Planning and Development Officer, General Services Officer, Assistant City Engineer Loben Ceballos, and executive assistant George Zulueta and Emiliano Sama.
The order said the TWG will meet regularly or as called by the mayor as chairperson of the 2022 Local Government Transition Team.
BENITEZ MAKES KEY APPOINTMENTS
Meanwhile, Bacolod Mayor-elect Albee Benitez has appointed two lawyers to key positions in his administration.
Benitez has designated Pacifico Maghari lll and Joseph Karol Chiu as City Administrator and Secretary to the Mayor, respectively.
Maghari, a CPA lawyer, is executive assistant for Finance of the Mayor of Talisay City since 2016 and is concurrent head of the Talisay City Housing Authority since 2019.
Chiu, on the other hand, previously worked for Bacolod Rep. Gasataya and is one of the lawyers at Chiu Tañoso Malan Mayo Cua Law Office.
Both Maghari and Chiu are part of the transition team of Benitez.*
