Night school teachers' pay charged against Special Education Fund
Balita News Services
get their salaries soon. Acting Mayor Renato Osmena assured he will
sign vouchers charging the salaries of the City Hall-paid teachers to
the Special Education Fund (SEF).
Osmena also said he is worried that if they still fail to get paid
by the end of the week, they will resort to borrowing from "loan
sharks."
Osmena gave the assurance after acting Vice Mayor Michael Rama
informed him of a forthcoming joint circular which provides that
salaries for teachers of extended classes can be charged to the SEF.
The circular is to be signed by the Department of Education,
Culture and Sports, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and
Commission on Audit (COA).
Rama had obtained a COA decision allowing the use of the SEF for
the salaries of teachers.
But to be safe, Osmena also suggested that Rama seek the opinion
of Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Arturo Mojica whether the City
would be held liable if they release the money.
The principals, non-teaching staff and about 700 teachers of the
City's 24 night high schools have not yet received their salaries for
June after COA issued a notice suspending the payment from the P37.3
million SEF as this reportedly violates the Local Government Code.
COA has not yet lifted the suspension, but Osmena expressed
confidence that once the joint circular arrives, the audit body will.
Mojica welcomed Rama's efforts.
"It's a good move. We're not just here to investigate people but
also to make agencies work better and expedite their action," he
said. (PNA) bfm/EB/BH/ptr
PNA 07090907