Distribution of extinguishers to 2 barangays put on hold

BASAK San Nicolas and Kasambagan will have to wait to get their fire extinguishers from the Cebu City Government.

The City Council wants some questions answered before it distributes the fire extinguishers to the two barangays.

Councilor Margarita Osmeña, chairperson of the committee on budget and finance, said they want to know whether all barangays are getting the fire extinguishers, what the expiry date of the fire extinguishers is and how many are left for distribution.

Osmeña said she wants to make sure there will be no repeat of the caution from the Commission on Audit (COA) in the 2012 report.

In the latest audit report, COA noted there was no proper planning when the City purchased 6,000 fire extinguishers worth P10.1 million. There was an excess of 976 units worth P1.64 million, it said.

Osmeña also noted that the resolution to donate 100 fire extinguishers to Basak San Nicolas did not bear the opinion of the City Legal Office.

Advice

“While the donation is essential to the barangay’s fire prevention program, this committee however, would like to ensure that the fire extinguishers are still functional and safe to use by the requesting barangay,” the committee report read.

Osmeña advised Councilor Jose Daluz III to seek an opinion from the City Legal Office and to secure a certification from the supplier that the fire extinguishers are still functional.

As a result of the committee report, Daluz had to defer another resolution authorizing Mayor Michael Rama to sign a deed of donation for the 42 fire extinguishers to Barangay Kasambagan and for the fire fighting demonstration and training campaign in the sitio level.

While there was nothing political in the committee report, the proponent for the distribution of the fire extinguishers was Daluz and the barangay captain of one of the beneficiaries, Basak San Nicolas, is George Rama, the mayor’s cousin.

The two men are members of Team Rama, while the council is dominated by members of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan.

Daluz, though, took note of the recommendations of the committee report.

Sometime in September last year, a fire started in a house in Sitio Isla Allegre in Basak San Nicolas. It was put out in 17 minutes with a fire extinguisher.

The City aims to give each sitio at least one fire extinguisher.