Incoming Ouano admin plans to reduce staff at Mandaue City

THE incoming administration of Mayor-elect Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano has expressed concern over the large number of employees at Mandaue City Hall, with nearly 11,000 workers identified by the transition team, and plans to reduce personnel to address the financial strain.

Incoming city administrator Sally Malig-on, who heads the transition team, said in a press conference on Sunday, May 25, 2025, that the figure includes thousands of job order (JO) workers, casual employees and individuals hired under various City-funded programs.

“This number is excessive, and it poses a huge strain on the City’s finances,” he said. “We are spending a significant portion of the budget on salaries alone. This is something that needs to be addressed urgently.”

The incoming administration plans to reduce the number of personnel to recover funds currently spent on salaries and honoraria.

Malig-on suggested even a partial reduction could result in hundreds of millions in annual savings. These savings, he added, could then be redirected to programs such as healthcare, social services and infrastructure development.

“That’s unfair to the rest of the Mandauehanons who are deprived of services that should be funded by the City budget, but are instead allocated every month to pay for this bloated workforce,” he said in a mix of Cebuano and English.

In response to Ouano’s transition team, outgoing City Administrator Jamaal James Calipayan warned against drawing premature conclusions just based on numbers.

“Let’s talk again in six months or one year, after the full responsibility of running a City is brought to bear upon them,” Calipayan said. “Then maybe their conclusions would have some credibility. For now, let’s not be hasty; running a city is not as easy as looking at the numbers.”

One primary concern for Malig-on is the Purok Development Office (PDO), noting it hired at least 639 officers, each receiving P4,500 monthly, alongside 4,700 additional members receiving P1,000 each. This program alone accounts for more than half of the City’s total personnel, he said.

Employee breakdown

Documents reviewed by the transition team show the City currently pays 1,080 regular employees, 4,500 JO workers, 452 casual employees, 923 personnel under the Clean and Green program and thousands more under the PDO.

As for reducing the number of employees, Malig-on said their plan is not to remove people indiscriminately. Instead, the new administration will evaluate which positions are necessary and which may have been created for political or non-essential reasons.

Competent and essential workers will be retained, as the goal is to professionalize the city workforce and ensure responsible use of public funds, Malig-on said.

The lawyer also assured that key city offices providing frontline services, including the city hospital and City Health Office, will continue operating without disruption.

Mayor-elect Ouano will formally assume office at noon on June 30, succeeding outgoing Mayor Glenn Bercede. / CAV