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Villagomez imposes austerity measures
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Posted on Dec 09 1998
Heaps of spoiled bond papers, which used to be familiar fixtures on some nooks of the hospital, are gone.
The shredder machine too is no longer used to its fullest as used papers are recycled as scratch pads.
Lights are turned off on places not frequented by hospital staff, patients and visitors.
That’s the familiar sight now at the Department of Public Health after Secretary Joseph K. Villagomez imposed austerity measures to offset an acute budget shortage.
“Every small thing that they (health workers) can do with the austerity measure will address our poor economic situation. Things as basic as turning off the power will do so much,” Villagomez said.
He added that overtime and travel are also suspended, except those that are deemed necessary.
“We are now very careful in giving overtime. We are cutting down wastage on government time to the extreme. We’re really trying to produce so much between 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,” Villagomez said.
The health department was allotted $38.342 million this fiscal year — about two-thirds its proposed spending level.
Villagomez said the budget is small considering the island’s population of more than 60,000 and the strong leaning of most people now toward the health care system amid the economic crisis.
