Lazy govt officials ‘will face action for neglect of duties’

President Rodrigo Duterte has given a stern warning to public officials. He said they should work for eight hours a day and not sit on applications and referrals.Otherwise, he would slap erring officials with administrative charges – ranging from neglect of duty to even swindling.In his speech during the turnover of 1,100 housing units to Yolanda survivors in Tacloban yesterday, Duterte said applications at the regional director level should be acted upon within 15 days while at the Cabinet level, 30 days, Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.Permits should be released within three days, he added.“If you won’t do so, I will charge you for neglect of duties either simple or serious,” President Duterte said.“I will charge you administratively. No more criminal case because that would take a long time. Dereliction of duty, then I can suspend you. You can go to court and I will be happy if you will go to court,” he added.The president was here to lead the turnover of housing units for families who lost their houses when super typhoon “Yolanda” barrelled through the city in 2013.The practice of government officials not serving a full eight-hour duty as well as delaying the release of permits and applications should stop, said Duterte.According to the president, indolence is so rampant among public officials to the detriment of the public that they are supposed to serve.“Let us be frank. Problem in the government is indolence and laziness. And most of the people in government take for granted the people’s interest,” he said.“After eating lunch, they would go out and would not go back for work, even in Manila. You see them going around malls, just taking time off, strolling and enjoying,” he said.“You directors, if you have referrals, starting now, it is your duty to expedite these because I will only give you, director, 15 days to do it,” he said.“You should kill yourself over your jobs. Don’t go out of the office until your work is done,” Duterte said.The president stressed that government officials and employees have been paid to render eight-hour work.“So if you do not go back in the afternoon, you are short-changing government,” he said.“Actually, that is swindling. You are swindling the government and that is punishable under the Revised Penal Code. It’s known as ‘other deceits’,” Duterte said. He also told the mayors to do the same.If they could not follow his order, they better resign, the president said.Several Cabinet officials attended the ceremony that was supposed to start at 2pm but began at 4.30pm because the president was late.They were Secretaries Leoncio Evasco of Housing and Urban Development Co-ordinating Council, Mark Villar of Department of Public Works and Highway, Manuel Lopez of the Department of Trade and Industry, Judy Taguiwalo of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Manny Pinol of the Department of Agriculture as well as Bong Go of the Presidential Management Staff.Local officials like Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, Leyte representative Yedda Romualdez and Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez and various regional directors of government agencies were also present.