The city government of Dagupan has trimmed down its bloated bureaucracy as a prelude to the reorganization program and to generate savings of at least P1 million a month.

In his talk to media, city administrator Raffy Baraan explained why Mayor Lim ordered the termination of a substantial number of technical consultants and emergency workers "effective at the close of office hours of August 31, 2006."

Baraan said that the reorganization plan is now in its final stage prior to its implementation even as he pointed out that the termination of some consultants and emergency workers forms part of the whole reorganization process.

He assured that the services rendered by the city government will not be affected as the positions held by the emergency workers will be replaced by regular employees.

He clarified, however, that EWs who handle vital and highly specialized positions will not be terminated. He cited as example the POSO traffic enforcers who had undergone long training before they were deployed to man the traffic.

"I always say that some EWs are performing very well but we have to give up most of them temporarily," Baraan stressed even as he said that qualified EWs will be given the first crack to fill in regular positions later during the reorganization process.

Baraan said that the action will allow plantilla position holders, who were then not being maximized by their superiors, a chance to shine and perform their duties efficiently.

"We have to judiciously use our scarce resources and therefore we do not want to waste the money we are paying for our regular plantilla position holders by hiring emergency workers to do their job," Baraan said.

Before the termination of the employees, a team had been created to study the procedure in order not to affect the quality of service of the city. The team was made up of personnel from human resources management division of the city mayor’s office, city accounting office, city budget office and city treasurer’s office.

The team had a meeting with each department head to assess the function and responsibility of each emergency worker assigned in their respective offices whether they can be replaced by a regular employee.

The team finally submitted to the mayor and the city administrator the matrix containing the names of each emergency worker and his or her subsequent replacement from the ranks of regular employees. Baraan said that about 65 to 70 percent will be removed from the total 255 emergency workers employed at the city government before the massive streamlining of the bureaucracy.

He also said during the interview that in the reorganization only 400 plantilla positions from the original 600 posts will be filled up. There will also be no emergency workers during that period, he added.

In separate occasion, Baraan said that the ultimate goal for the reorganization is to make the bureaucracy "lean but mean." (CIO)

The eight pilot barangays of project PROMISE (Program for Hydro-Meteorological Disaster Mitigation in Secondary Cities in Asia) attended a three-day early warning system and evacuation planning workshop on August 29 to 31 at the city museum.

The activity intended to increase the knowledge and skills of the pilot areas in flood preparedness and prevention and to guide them to develop a community early warning system and evacuation plan.

"I see some hope in the barangays that are now involved in project PROMISE. I can see your growing sense of awareness that you yourselves have to do things on your own," City Administrator Rafael Baraan said in his talk.

He said that he sees the sense of commitment of the 8 pilot areas to use their inherent capabilities without fully depending on the city government.

Baraan encouraged the pilot barangays to take the lead and continue with the kind of zeal and commitment they are currently demonstrating.

"If this project is the one that will really awaken our people in order to realize that they have something to contribute and that they have the capability to stand on their own, then I will recommend the implementation of PROMISE in all barangays," he declared.

On the first day of the workshop, officers from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) served as resource speakers.

Venus Valdemoro, OIC, Public Information and International Affairs, discussed brief profile of PAGASA and its disaster preparedness program, while Ninio Relox, senior weather specialist, National Disaster Reduction Branch, shared the process of weather forecasting and flow of information and explained the various kinds of hazards. Arturo Ladislao, senior weather specialist, Flood Forecasting Branch, explained how floodwater flows from upstream to downstream.

With the new information, each barangay upgraded and improved its flood hazard and risk map which was produced during the community-based disaster risk management workshop.

Early warning system for flood, typhoon and earthquake and the importance and content of an evacuation plan were explained on the second day.

The third day focused on the initial formulation of early warning system plan and evacuation plan of each barangay.

To ensure successful evacuation operations, each of the pilot barangays were asked to come up with a detailed evacuation plan.

The technical working group from the City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC) will guide the 8 pilot barangays in the finalization of their respective early warning system and evacuation plans.

The 8 pilot areas for project PROMISE are: barangays Bacayao Norte, Bacayao Sur, Lasip Chico, Lasip Grande, Pogo Grande, Mangin, Salisay, , and Tebeng. (Sunshine D. Robles)