By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental provincial administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said yesterday morning he is just “at the beck and call” and is ready to assist Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Benitez again if necessary.

Diaz made the declaration after his consultancy term for the city government expired last December 31, 2022.

According to Diaz, anything that Benitez needs from him personally and from the provincial government, with the consent of Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, can extend to him even without a consultancy agreement.

Benitez had earlier hired Diaz and two other executives in the provincial government as consultants after he took office as the new city mayor in July of last year.

Aside from Diaz, two other executives — Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital chief Dr. Mary Ann Maestral and Provincial Investment Officer Lucille Gelvolea — also became consultants for the city government.

PhilHealth in Western Visayas Vice President Valerie Anne Hollero was also hired as a consultant for Bacolod City government.

Diaz said that Maestral will not continue as a consultant and he has no idea about the decision of Gelvolea and Hollero./DGB, WDJ