The Art of Power Delegation
Mayor Ceciron Cawaling of Malay, Aklan delegated almost all is authority and responsibility to a subordinate officer. In Executive Order No. 186, Series of 2008, Mayor Cawaling delegated all his functions to Mr. Edgardo Sancho, Executive Assistant V, Malay, Aklan.
Sancho’s position is confidential in nature, co-terminus with the term of office of the appointing officer, his boss. In this case, Mayor Cawaling. The position is unclassified, which is a position highly confidential. The tenure of office is not fixed.
In the study of Public Administration, a chief of office, such as a municipal mayor, may delegate his authority to do certain task or tasks to a person of his trust and confidence. But only authority can be delegated and never responsibility. Once the chief of office who delegated such authority losses his trust and confidence upon that person, such authority is withdrawn. The Executive Order No. 186, Series of 2008 will be revoked.
A good example of that delegated authority is in the Metro Kalibo Water District (MKWD). The Board of Directors (BOD) of MKWD issued authority to its General Manager authorizing him to approve purchases worth not more than P3 million. After the BOD of MKWD lost its trust and confidence in the general manager, that authority was withdrawn.
Moreover, the chief of office, in this case Mayor Cawaling of Malay, Aklan is never allowed to delegate responsibility. When Mr. Sancho succeeded in the performance of his delegated tasks, he is not alone to be credited for the success; it is Mayor Cawaling as well for his ability to delegate tasks to the most competent person. On the other hand, when a delegated task is not done, it is Mayor Cawaling who is blamed and not Mr. Sancho. Anything worst Mr. Sancho did, Mayor Cawaling gets the blame.
But there are questions asked in the issuance of Executive Order No. 186, Series of 2008. Those questions are asked because of jealousy; because of the rule of succession. Those functions delegated, if Mayor Cawaling becomes incapacitated to perform such functions, will be exercised by the Vice Mayor.
But Mayor Cawaling is functioning. He delegated those tasks so that he can have more time and effort to devote to the more pressing problems of the community. Once Mayor Cawaling can no longer function as Mayor of Malay, it is automatic for the vice mayor to discharge those functions as provided for in the Local Government Code.
It is said, a person cannot give what he does not have. He can only give what he owns. Likewise, Mayor Cawaling delegated the functions inherent to the office of the Mayor. He did not delegate the functions of other offices.
That delegation of authority is valid only as long as he is the Mayor of Malay, or until the year 2010, the end of his term. However, even before 2010 if Mayor Cawaling is incapacitated to discharge the functions of his office, the vice mayor as provided for in the Local Government Code, will become the Mayor of Malay. That Executive Order No. 186, Series of 2008 is automatically revoked.
Snack In The Air
The Philippines Airlines has restored its practice to serve snacks in flight. This is an attraction in addition to its promotional price. In our 3:00 P.M. PAL flight Manila-Kalibo on May 28, all the passengers were served snack. It consisted of fruit juice, biscuits, roasted peas and small cake. This is a welcome development.
In the MP “Editorial 24-05-08 Issue”,
Mr. Elmar M. Gomez commented, thus “I hope Madyaas Pen will list the names of the mayors who signed the manifesto.
Then we will know who stand by their word. The others will have to explain their new position.
The more people know about this situation, the less likely mayors will take back their word without explanation.” /MP
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