A group of Manila city hall employees, known as the Regular Employees Association of City Hall-Manila, has called the attention of mayoral candidates Rep. Amado Bagatsing (Kabaka LABs Manila) coalition and former mayor Alfredo Lim (Liberal Party) to the alleged “San Juanization” of the Manila government by the administration of Mayor Joseph Estrada.
Leaders of the group claimed that through the initiative of the Estrada camp, “an undetermined numbers of persons or residents from nearby San Juan City have been hired as casuals since the incumbent mayor assumed office in July 2013.”
The San Juan City’s local government has been under the reign of the Estrada family since 1967.
REACH-M cited as examples the appointments of former San Juan Councilor Jojo Alcovendaz as city administrator and ex-San Juan vice mayor Philip Cezar as head of the Manila Sports Council or Masco.
“Please, Congressman Bagatsing and Mayor Lim, take up the cudgel for us to stop this malpractice. We believe that this is highly irregular and improper, and such act by the mayor affects our employment status and promotion,” the REACH-M pleaded the two city officials.
The organization said it would notify the Civil Service Commission on the issue. “We will likewise go to other concerned government agencies on this matter.”
The same group also tackled the closed city hall complex main gate on Taft Avenue and the closed Concepcion Street.