Village councilors get City vehicles
-A A +AMonday, September 3, 2012
THE Cebu City Government yesterday released another batch of brand new vehicles worth P9.9 million for barangay officials.
However, majority of the recipients of the brand-new vehicles, which were promised by Mayor Michael Rama, were barangay councilors instead of barangay captains.
Eight of the 10 brand new vehicles distributed yesterday were given to barangay councilors and not to their village chiefs.
The vehicles include a Toyota Hilux, Toyota Innova, Mitsubishi Strada and Mitsubishi Fuzion.
The recipients of the vehicles were Barangay Councilors Paul Sabarre (Quiot), Orvilla Bacalso (Cogon Pardo), Rudolfo Tabasa (Labangon), John Paul Go (Pahina San Nicolas), Ronald Caminade (Talamban), George Chang (Kasambagan), Eugen Tabas (Toong) and Althea Lim (Poblacion Pardo).
Both Chang and Lim are being considered in the Team Rama slate as candidates for councilor in next year’s elections.
The village chiefs of the said barangays are reportedly not allies of Team Rama.
The remaining two vehicles were given to Budlaan Barangay Captain Nerissa Antolihao and Tinago Barangay Captain Domingo Lopez.
Asked for comment why the vehicles were mostly given to the barangay councilors instead of the barangay captains, Rama said, “Obvious ba?”
‘Political’
In an interview yesterday, the mayor added that barangay councilors have his “trust and confidence.”
The mayor said he doesn’t mind if his move will be considered political, saying that his critics have since been saying that all the things he has been doing is because of politics and to advance his desire to be reelected.
Rama, however, made clear that the vehicles will be used by the whole barangay and not just by the barangay councilors. He added that any barangay official in the respective villages can borrow it.
City Hall has distributed a total of 51 brand new vehicles to the barangay officials. The remaining 29 vehicles will be distributed in the coming months.
The purchase of the vehicles was funded through a P100-million appropriation under the P5.2-billion annual budget of the City this year.
Rama had wanted the City to purchase brand new vehicles instead of refurbished ones as they don’t easily get damaged.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on September 04, 2012.
Local news
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