By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff reporter
Laoag City—The Sangguniang Panlalawigan here—voting 6-4—disapproved an unnumbered resolution that concurred with the appointment of Mylene Isabel Pascual as department head I of the Community Affairs Division during the council’s June 3, 2019 regular session.
Former Laoag councilor Shirley O. Sin presented the said resolution for discussion during the other matters portion of the agenda but prior to the presentation, former Laoag Vice Mayor and council presiding officer Atty. Franklin Dante Respicio, in his chairman’s time, asked for committee reports pertaining to the council’s concurrence to the appointment; nobody, however reported.
Prior to the June 3, 2019 session, the council referred the issue to the committee on laws and labor and employment for its study and scheduling a committee report 15 days later, or June 7, 2019.
But Mrs. Sin, who chaired the committee on labor and employment, moved for the suspension of the rules to accommodate the matter and which the council granted.
With the suspension of rules, Laoag councilor Roger John C. Fariñas requested the council to invite human resource officer Felicar Ancheta to shed light on the appointment.
Ms. Ancheta said the position former community affairs officer Bernardino Rodillas vacated the post when he retired on November 20, 2018. Ms. Pascual, who is next in rank to Mr. Rodillas, immediately became the officer-in-charge, pending the appointment of a permanent head.
Ms. Ancheta also disclosed that Ms. Pascual, who was then appointed to the position, has completed all the requirements set forth by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for the said position. She also earlier passed the Personnel Selection Board (PSB) interview with former Laoag Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas, also giving her approval.
A department head position in the city government, however, also needs a concurrence from the council through an approved resolution.
The council also interviewed Ms. Pascual during the proceedings, where she presented her duties and functions as officer-in-charge and the difference of duties and functions of a permanent department head.
“As a functioning OIC since November 21, [2018] awan met pay naging problema with regards to the operation of the office,” Ms. Pascual said addressing the absence of a department head.
With this statement, Laoag councilor Roque Benjamin Ablan said he believes there is no urgency in appointing a community affairs officer.
The voting for the concurrence resolution showed former Laoag councilors Edison Siazon, Mrs. Sin; Mr. Fariñas and SK federated president and ex-officio member Anzhelyka Faye M. Lao voting for the resolution.
While Laoag councilors Handy Lao, Portia Pamela R. Salenda, Edison Bonoan, Mr. Ablan, Justine Chua and former councilor Ferdinand Domingo voting against it.
The voting results effectively disapproved the concurrence resolution and Ms. Pascual’s official appointment.
Ms. Pascual preferred not to comment after the voting.