QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista is urging all city officials to set politics aside and prioritize the needs of the city’s 3,085,786 residents.
In a recent legislative-executive development advisory council to map out the city’s economic reforms agenda, Bautista asked his officials to set aside differences, unite and cooperate to enable the city government to pursue development goals in the next three years.
“No more politics, just work,” he said.
The mayor’s executive agenda aligns with the economic thrust of President Rodrigo Duterte to improve the city’s tax base, provide ease in doing business and institute policy reforms.
Bautista underscored the need to amend the city’s Revenue Code that he said should be made corollary to the observations of the Commission on Audit.
In addition, he said he urges the integration of barangay clearances to provide a clear and uniform matrix of fees and charges for businesses applying for barangay clearances.
The mayor wants to rationalize various executive departments in the branch to improve efficiency.
He asked the city personnel office and the Budget department to study a possible increase in the entry pay level of health workers.
The city government’s executive agenda for 2016 to 2019 also included the need to update the Traffic Management Ordinance and the alignment of traffic strategies with the proposed grant of emergency powers to Duterte.
To implement the plan, it is imperative to consider the study conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency as well as the ongoing infrastructure and projects of the national government and the developments, Bautista said.
He said he will look into the proposal as an opportunity for the city government to rationalize the issuance of franchises to tricycles.
According to the Department of Public Order and Safety, the city has 25,000 registered and 10,000 unregistered tricycles.
Bautista said records show that the number of franchise approvals shoot up during an election year.