The 37-member Quezon City council has approved a resolution giving Mayor Herbert Bautista the green light to implement an off-campus program for city hall employees at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.
Under City Resolution 7501, PLM shall offer degrees in Bachelor of Government Management, Master of Government Management, and/or Doctor of Government Management under the off-campus program.
Under Book V of Executive Order No. 292 and Omnibus Rules of the Civil Service Commission, Rules VIII, Career and Personal Development, specifically Sections 1 and 7, every department or agency shall establish a continuing program for every career and personnel development for all agencies at all levels.
The same office “shall create an environment or work climate conducive to the development of personnel skills, talents and values for better public service,” the CSC rules add.
Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Thursday called on solo parents suffering from symptoms of depression and other mental health disorders to take advantage of the city government’s medication and counseling.
In observing World Suicide Prevention Day, she told an association of solo parents and mothers: “Recently, it came to my knowledge that many of you are suffering from depression. I know the difficulty you are going through as single mothers.”
Belmonte lamented that many parents feel embarrassed to report mental health problems due to stigma.
“A mental health problem is just like having a heart ailment or any health problem that you do not have to be ashamed of,” she said.
This month, the vice mayor is spearheading programs to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention to citizens of Quezon City who may be at risk. She vowed to coordinate with psychologists to provide mental health awareness seminars this month.
In another development, the city council also passed a resolution strongly supporting the establishment of a senior high school in Barangay Tandang Sora.
City Resolution 7435 shall pave the way for the establishment of school for grades 11 and 12 to known as Tandang Sora Senior High School.
“The local government of Quezon City deems it necessary to create more public senior high schools in the City, including Barangay Tandang Sora, to be able to fulfill its constitutional mandate of providing access to basic education for all,” the resolution read.