Mayor Arjay Mea orders removal of service cutoffs in municipal offices

By Engr. Jay B. Laurino Tiaong Mayor Vincent Arjay “RJ” Mea calls for the removal of service cutoffs in municipal offices during the Nov...

By Engr. Jay B. Laurino

Tiaong Mayor Vincent Arjay “RJ” Mea calls for the removal of service cutoffs in municipal offices during the November 9 flag ceremony. (Tiaong PIO)

TIAONG, Quezon — Service cutoffs that force people seeking urgent government assistance to return another day have drawn criticism from Mayor Vincent Arjay “RJ” Mea, who called for their elimination across municipal offices. The mayor also urged department heads to adjust employee lunch schedules to prevent interruptions in public transactions and ensure continued access to essential government services.

Mea issued the directive during a municipal gathering, expressing concern over existing office procedures that prevent constituents from receiving assistance despite arriving during government working hours. He instructed department heads to address these restrictions and ensure that public employees remain responsive to residents seeking essential services.

The mayor reminded municipal personnel of their weekly oath to serve the public, emphasizing that their responsibilities sometimes require additional time beyond regular working hours. He stressed that government employees must honor their commitment to serving constituents, particularly those facing urgent personal and financial difficulties.

“Ang sakit ho minsan na sinasabi natin ay, bumalik ka na lang dahil may cut-off, samantalang ang mga pumupunta rito sa munisipyo ay may mga problemang nangangailangan ng tulong at agarang atensyon mula sa ating pamahalaan. Pero hindi niyo ho ba naiisip na tuwing Lunes ay itinataas natin ang ating kanang kamay at nanunumpang maglilingkod sa bayan kahit mangailangan pa ng dagdag na oras, kaya dapat nating tuparin ang pangakong iyon sa ating mga kababayan,” Mea said.

Mea also called for adjustments to employee lunch schedules to maintain government operations during midday hours without depriving personnel of their designated breaks. He encouraged department heads to coordinate staffing arrangements so that public transactions could continue while employees take turns observing their rest periods.

“Ayoko na pong makarinig na may cut-off sa bawat departamento at pinababalik na lamang ang ating mga kababayan kahit nangangailangan sila ng serbisyo, dahil tungkulin nating tiyaking mayroong handang tumugon sa kanilang mga pangangailangan. Lalo na sa oras ng tanghalian, kung maaari nating ayusin ang iskedyul ng ating mga regular na empleyado upang hindi tumigil ang operasyon at patuloy nating mapagsilbihan ang mga mamamayan, gawin natin iyon para sa kanilang kapakanan,” Mea said.

The mayor disclosed that he had already raised the issue with a municipal health official and requested concrete measures to prevent interruptions in public service. His directive now places responsibility on department heads to address service cutoffs and staffing arrangements that have forced constituents to return without receiving the government assistance they need.