Bacolod City Administrator yesterday reminded Acting Mayor Renecito Novero that his job as acting mayor is only ministerial.

This came after Novero issued a memorandum Wednesday to the market supervisor of the Vendors' Plaza at the Reclamation Area in Bacolod City, requesting that the vendors be properly notified first before they are asked to vacate the area and that they be give three days to prepare.

Novero said he was not informed by the Market Committee, headed by Dilag, of its decision to close the Vendors' Plaza.

"These matters affecting the Vendors' Plaza are matters of policy and the agency required by law to act on it, pursuant to City Ordinance 286, is the Market Committee," Dilag said. If the vendors are not satisfied with the decision of the Market Committee, they can always appeal to the mayor within 15 days based on the Market Code.

Dilag said that before Novero became the acting mayor, 80 percent of the Vendors' Plaza was already closed for reason of abandonment and the Market Committee had authorized him (Dilag) to close it through a resolution.

He said that when Novero requested him to postpone the closure of the remaining 20 percent, he deferred the implementation but asked the acting mayor for how long. He also attended the legislative and executive caucus Tuesday called for by Novero on the matter, he said.

Dilag said majority of the members of the Market Committee decided to close Vendors' Plaza and they will formally declare the 494 blocks and stalls vacant and set criteria for purposes of application.

"I respected the acting mayor but there is no need to inform him about it because it is an official act of the Market Committee pursuant to law," Dilag said.

Novero said the city administrator is not the city's chief executive officer and he executes only as the mayor authorizes him. He said his limitations as acting mayor is that he cannot hire and fire employees within a limited period of time based on the Local Government Code.

Novero clarified that he does not object to the closure of the Vendors' Plaza to set in order the distribution of awards later on.*CGS

back to top