WHO is this City Hall Department Head who easily falls for intrigues made by one of his subordinates? The intriguer, a driver in the Department, texted him that a fellow driver of his in the same department, demanded money amounting to P10 thousand from the sector that a Division under the said office is directly providing support services.
According to sources who are familiar with the activities of the same unit under the Department concerned, the driver (we’ll call him Driver A) creating intrigues by texting their top honcho, is apparently “jealous” with the other driver (we’ll call him Driver B)subject to his allegation. The former is just doing what is defined in his job description – that is to drive vehicles that may be used in the day-to-day operation of the Department. Meanwhile, Driver B who has some gift of tongue, is most of the time tapped by his immediate supervisor to help in the conduct of orientation and related activities in the field, the audience of which are the clients of their unit in that particular Department.
In other words, Driver B’s versatility earned him the appreciation of the unit supervisor as when resource persons in community orientation are not available this driver B ends up doing the talking. Thus, his other assignment somewhat bolstered his stock in the unit and in the eyes of his immediate boss. It is just unfortunate that this Driver B has remained a Job Order employee at City Hall.
This Department chief has reportedly conducted initial investigation to the allegation. But the probe has gone nowhere because no one has affirmed his infraction as charged by Driver A. Moreover, no one from the supposed victims of money exaction has come forward to lodge a formal complaint.
What was a bit surprising was when the aggrieved party requested for the number of the “texter” the Department Head, immediately told the driver subject to the allegation that he had erased the mobile number.
We could not help but think of the lack of professionalism and managerial capability of the Department Head concerned. If indeed he is serious to ferret out the truth he should have called the two drivers in his office and asked the accuser to show proofs of his claim and for the accused to present his side.
But no, he did no such dialogue. Therefore, he lost the opportunity to draw to the surface a problem that may have been prevalent in his Department in the past and possibly until the present. And he loses as well the chance to prove that he is the professional manager that people expected of him.
We know the guy personally and he is one who rose from the ranks through hard work. It is for this reason that we have hesitance in believing that he can be made a sucker that easily. We can only hope that the next time around that he will be confronted with such issue affecting his men he’ll act on it with a well-thought of way.
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A few days ago another hearing by a joint committee of the City Council was conducted relative to the most awaited Samal Island-Davao City Bridge. In fact one of the resource persons is our friend Wennie Gorres, a resident in a subdivision in Sasa only a kilometer or a little over from where the Davao City approach of the bridge is to be located.
We were invited by Mr. Gorres to witness the hearing so we could hear all sides and possibly make our own assessment of the issues attendant to the project implementation, being one of the local opinion makers in the city for some time already.
Unfortunately we have to beg off because our work schedule in the house and our job as columnist of the Mindanao Times do not permit us.
We are not aware of what was or were the outputs in that hearing including its relevant recommendations to settle the issues now confronting that very laudable project. But we are hoping that if there are resolutions these be immediately transmitted to concerned agencies so proper action can immediately be taken to settle once and for all whatever remaining bars there are in the full implementation of the multi-billion peso project.
For now what we are aware of is the drilling of bore holes at the Davao side of the project to determine the nature of the soil in both the in-land and underwater section. This will allow the contractors to determine whether the underground base can withstand the weight of the bridge when its components are in place.
And by the way, why are the joint committees conducting the hearing “thrifty” with words as to the hearing outputs? If there were no media men present during the hearing because the schedule was “deadline meeting” time for both print and broadcast, the committees should have tapped the City Information Office to disseminate the outputs. After all, is it not the responsibility of that office to inform the Davaoeno constituents?
We believe it is imperative that the local government should make some initiatives so as not to keep the people in Davao and in IGa CoS blind and ignorant of any development on the bridge project.
