Friday, July 23, 2004 2 dads relent, return controversial cellfones By Bobby S. Terencio
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- City Hall will be paying a total of P1.76 million for telecommunication expenses of General Santos councilors in the next three years.
The City Government acquired expensive Samsung camera phones worth P25,900 for the city's 10 councilors but instead of paying for the units, it chose to avail of a plan that entails the payment of P3,500 worth of calls monthly for each unit for three years.
However, two councilors, stung by criticisms from the public over such waste of taxpayers' money, returned the cellular phone units issued to them last week.
"Gialingugngugan ko. Unya, gikwestyon na ang among integrity as a member of the Sangguniang Panglungsod. Para sa akoa, para dili na ko kwestyunon ug ang mga tawo sa General Santos mosalig sa akoa, ako na lang giuli." (I am bothered. Our integrity as members of the City Council has been questioned. To put a rest on the issue and so that the people will continue to have trust in me, I decided to return it.)
Councilor Dominador Lagare, lone opposition councilor, is one of those who returned the controversial cellular phone issued to him.
Members of the City Council have been loudly criticized for acquiring cellular phone units that will entail spending of over P1 million in next three years.
Under the plan, each Samsung D410 unit will cost the city P126,000 worth of phone bills for the next three years of a total of P1.76 million for all phones.
"Para sa ako, kinahanglan namo ang cellphone. Pero, mas kinahanglan sa nga kabus sa General Santos ang tambal. So, tagaan nato na'g priority ug ang uban pang mga panginahanglanon sa syudad," Lagare explained. (For me, we needed the cell phone. But the poor in General Santos need medicines. So, let us give it a priority and other needs of the city.)
Lagare said he was not yet a councilor when the previous City Council passed a resolution on June 17 to purchase the Samsung mobile phone units.
Lagare, however, was quick to add that judgment should not be passed on the city councilors who did not return their mobile phone units.
"I would not really say that nga katong mga nidawat og cellphone mga maot silag batasan (those who received the cell phones are capricious). In my case, I really believe na mas dapat unahon ang tambal kasya (that the medicines should be prioritized over) cellphone," he said.
Councilor Ramon Melliza also returned the mobile phone units assigned to him.
"First, it (cell phone) is not user-friendly. I am not that too advanced with new technology and I can easily use my old cell phone," he said.
"Secondly, I'm not at ease using things shrouded by controversies," Melliza added.
Aside from Lagare and Melliza, Councilor Minda Atendido also did not get the mobile phone unit assigned to her.
At Thursday's regular session, none of the city councilors brought with them their mobile phone units.
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