• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental provincial tourism officer Cheryl Decena has returned to work effective April 22 after serving a six-month suspension, but was assigned to a different post.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said Wednesday, April 22, that Decena has been reassigned to Office of the Provincial Agriculture to develop the farm tourism at the Negros First Ranch in Murcia.
Diaz pointed out that Decena cannot reassume her former position since she and two other employees have a pending case before the Office of the Ombudsman.
Decena and four other employees, who were then assigned at the Mambukal Resort and Wildlife Sanctuary, were suspended for six months without pay for simple neglect of duty.
This stemmed from the alleged irregularities and delays in the remittance of cash advances, resulting in mismanagement and a P3.5-million loss for Mambukal in 2023.
Decena said she will do her best in her new assignment, adding that she will work under the supervision of Provincial Veterinarian Placeda Lemana and Provincial Agriculturist Dina Genzola.
Diaz said that senior tourism operations officer Raymond Bayot will remain as the officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Provincial Tourism Division.
He added that Bayot is “doing a good job, following the composition of a new team under his leadership.”
“The teamwork and chemistry has resulted to a lot of positive developments, which can be shown partly also during the Panaad sa Festival,” he said.
Diaz also announced the designation of Cely Carman-Trio as the OIC of Negros Occidental Language and Information Technology Center (NOLITC), following the resignation of vocational school administrator Maria Cristina Basa-Orbecido.
The position vacated by Orbecido as head of NOLITC has been upgraded to assistant department head. | GB
