MONDAY MORNING RANT: Mayor loses his cool, warns of zero budget for absentee dep’t heads

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

MAYOR Jerry Treñas again lost his cool during the regular flag ceremony of the city government on Monday.

This time, the mayor was riled up by City Hall executives who consistently failed to attend the joint department heads meeting in the City Hall.

In his speech during the flag ceremony, Treñas warned that department heads who failed to attend the meeting will lose their budgets in 2020.

“From now on, starting today any department head who is absent in the meeting will have no budget next year. Ginabaydan kita sang pumuluyo sa siyudad wala kita nagabakasyon diri, waay kita ginbayran magkaon sa hotel, ginabaydan kita para mag-ubra,” he stressed.

The mayor said he is serious with his declaration, adding that it will be a one-strike policy.

“One-strike policy. Kon indi gani importante ang akon department heads meeting meaning indi man importante ang budget sang siyudad di bala so wala man kaso ya, ang sweldo ara na ya pero all the others that are not found in the budget they cannot get it,” he furthered.

Treñas’ morning rant was also a swipe at the previous administration of his brother-in-law turned political adversary, former mayor Jose Espinosa III.

“Kalaw-ay nga ang departamento sa siyudad ginausar para sa pultika ano klase ni, ano kita pahugay. This is the worst administration I saw and yet they are very proud, that they want to return here. For the whole 18 months that they are here, they did not do anything good to us except buy overpriced vehicles, drones, computers,” he ranted.

Treñas pointed to the City Engineers Office (CEO) which inspected some of his businesses, particularly on its occupancy rate during the previous election.

“I have been in politics for so long pero waay ko ya ginpa-inspection nga mga occupancy, ang city engineer’s sang una pausar-usar man. Sang nagligad nga election, kada bulan ginainspeksyon ang mga negosyo ko kon may occupancy rate,” he added.

The mayor also mentioned the controversial Local Civil Registrar’s Office (LCRO) that is being linked to the alleged 180 defective marriages.

“Should the offices of Iloilo be used for partisan coordination? Indi na mapausar ang bisan diin nga departamento sang siyudad sa pulitika. May isa kita di ka department, 180 kasal nga fake asta subong wala pa kita kadigitize, kahuluya,” he said.

“I forgive but I never forget. Never will I forget that and that is the reason why I will not allow any department of the government to be used for political purposes. I give a solemn oath, never again will departments in the city be used for political purposes,” the mayor added.