The seven-storey Iloilo City Hall building is equipped with 30 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to monitor the activities of everyone, including that of the employees for security purposes.

Each floor has CCTV cameras while the monitoring room will be at the 7th floor where Mayor Jed Patrick Mailog's office is located.

Earlier, the mayor said he will regularly check the performance and working habits of City Hall employees which comprise of 1,500 regular personnel and thousands of job hires.

However, one source suggested that the mayor's office should also have a CCTV. "There should be no holy cows. Even the mayor should be monitored so that taxpayers will know how their money is spent," goes his SMS sent to The News Today. He added that the mayor is also a public servant, so he should "be transparent in holding public office".

AL, another source, added that CCTV matters should be handled by legitimate security specialists in charge of the City Hall. "To add to that, CCTV should not only be placed inside the City Hall, but also in its perimeters. Property security and safety survey must be conducted so that the CCTV should be placed strategically," AL added.

As of last month, there were nine offices that transferred to the new building, particularly at the second and fifth floors. They are the City Planning and Development Office, City Health, Local Civil Registrar, Traffic Management and Transportation Regulation Office, Barangay Secretariat and City Department of Interior and Local Government, Special Services Unit, Population Commission, and Human Resource Management.

The employees were also advised not to cook inside the building.

This, after a smoke detector alarm went off, causing panic to employees at the second floor. Upon investigation by Building Administrator Victor Facultad, it was learned that one employee from the Dental Department boiled bananas using the rice cooker.

Washing of dishes is also disallowed inside the comfort rooms.

These are among many of the measures being imposed in order to maintain the building's cleanliness and orderliness.*