Saturday, January 12, 2008 Lapu, Mandaue want turnover, inventory of Asean lampposts
IF plans by the Capitol and two cities fall into place, the lampposts might be switched on again next week.
Representatives from the Provincial Government, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu cities met with representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) yesterday.
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia initiated the meeting, saying that the unlighted lampposts now pose a danger to the public.
Disadvantage
“With the hullabaloo about the lampposts controversy, ang nabutang naman hinuon sa alaut ang publiko (it’s the public that’s been placed at a disadvantage),” Garcia told reporters yesterday, after the meeting.
First, an inventory would have to be conducted.
“We really want these lampposts to be functional for public welfare. We want to fast-track the turnover of the lampposts,” Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, who attended the meeting, told reporters.
Representatives
He hopes that a representative from the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas will also attend the inventory to be conducted by a team that will have representatives from the Province and the two cities.
For about 1,300 decorative lamps and street lights in Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu City, the government was expected to pay about P304 million. At least P61 million worth of lamps and street lights were also installed in Cebu City, but local officials left it up to the Department of Public Works and Highways to handle the project on its own.
The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has issued a freeze-payment order while it continues to investigate the transaction.
“We really want the lampposts to be operational because first and foremost, the unlighted lampposts pose a danger to the public,” explained lawyer Michael Dignos, Lapu-Lapu City’s legal officer.
Accidents
“There was already a resolution to make the lampposts operational because there have been so many accidents,” Dignos added.
Garcia said both cities are willing to operate the lampposts for the sake of peace, order and security, as well as repair damaged bulbs and cables.
While there was a temporary restraining order (TRO) against payments to the contractors, there was no TRO that would stop the local government units (LGUs) from operating the lampposts.
“After all, we can always invoke general welfare,” said Garcia.
Memorandum
The governor wants the signing next week of a memorandum of understanding on the operation of the lampposts.
The memorandum will contain provisions of the turnover of the lampposts to the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.
“But there should be an inventory first with representatives from the ombudsman to clarify which is functioning or not and to be properly acknowledged by the DPWH,” Garcia explained.
Representatives from the three LGUs hope that the lampposts will be lighted by next week. (JGA)
