By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Following a recent Department of Budget and Management (DBM) decision, outgoing Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. ordered Provincial Human Resource Management head, Atty. Annabelle Palic, reassigned to the Office of the Governor as general services officer.
The order, dated yesterday, was effective immediately.
According to a memorandum penned by the governor, the decision was made in “compliance with the ruling and recommendation of the DBM relative to the disapproval or disallowance of positions created under the 2018 Annual Budget.”
Earlier this month, Negros Occidental Provincial Budget Officer Jose Percival Salado called for Palic to be relieved of duty after DBM issued an opinion disallowing the creation of a human resource department.
According to Salado, the governor met with employees who would be affected by the shuffle and were asked if they preferred posts within the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist or vacancies within other departments.
In terms of Palic herself, the budget officer explained, “She will have to return as assistant department head and re-assigned to the Office of the Governor to implement the plan because it’s her post that is affected.”
“There is still an HR office but no HR department,” he added.
Meanwhile, Lucille Chavez-Pines was reassigned as officer-in-charge for the human resources office./DGB, WDJ