By Dominic B. Dela Cruz
Staff reporter
Laoag City—Following its approval as a separate department, the Laoag Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas has appointed Bernardino Rodillas as the new community affairs officer.
The Community Affairs Office (CAO) used to be a division under the City Mayor’s Office. Former division chief Mylene Pascual moved to the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center in Batac City.
Mr. Rodillas, who was next in rank to Ms. Pascual, thanked the mayor for her trust and confidence in him to lead the newly converted department.
Mr. Rodillas promised to do his best in implementing the functions of the said office. Among its functions include formulating plans and strategies for community development.
The CAO also coordinates, integrates and promotes all programs and services of the national and local government agencies, non-government organizations, people’s organizations and other civic sectors in the community.
They also assist the mayor in the exercise of her power of general supervision of all the barangays in the city.
Mr. Rodillas said that his office is also in charge of promotion and facilitation of employment services.
His office is also in charge in the scheduling of the Agserbi 24/7 where the city government go directly to the barangay and render different services to the people.
Mr. Rodillas started serving the city government in 1992 as clerk at the Laoag City General Hospital. He later became a staff at the Community Affairs Division.
As a new department, Mr. Rodillas said he will be requesting additional personnel. He said they have many activities inside and outside the city hall that they need more personnel. He added that the vacant positions for community affairs officer II and IV should also be filled.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod, through a resolution has concurred with Mr. Rodillas’ appointment.
The conversion and eventual separation of the CAO has long been being pushed by Ms. Fariñas. She said CAO has so many functions and responsibilities that it needed to become an office by itself and not under any office. The CAO also oversees Laoag’s 80 barangays.