THE Davao City Government has allotted a total of P155 million for the acquisition of 18 vehicles to improve the efficiency of government services and benefit Dabawenyos.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Wednesday, February 5, led the blessing of the newly-acquired vehicles in front of the City Hall of Davao.

“The acquisition of the vehicles came from the 2018 city budget through the disaster fund,” Duterte-Carpio said in a radio guesting at 87.5-FM Disaster Radio on Wednesday morning.

The vehicles will be distributed to Central 911, City Social Services and De0velopment Office (CSSDO), City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO), City Health Office (CHO), City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO), City Veterinarian Office (CVO), and the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC).

Four L300 vans were purchased for the CSSDO, which would be used for its centers and facilities such as Bahay Dangupan, Bahay Pag-asa and Co Su Gian Home for the aged.

CTTMO, meanwhile, received five mobile cars.

Also, CHO received a mobile dental bus, which would be used for its dental mission activities.

The CVO received three pick-up vehicles to be used as a mobile veterinary clinic, for animal rescue, and for impounding of stray animals.

Included in Wednesday’s vehicle blessing are two Rosenbauer aerial fire and rescue ladder trucks for Central 911 that were earlier turned over to the City Government.

She said both trucks have a total cost of more than P64 million.

The mayor said the purchasing of the trucks was decided following the NCCC Mall fire incident in 2017.

“Ang construction sa atoang mga building, nagataas na. Makakita nata’g high-rise buildings diria sa Davao, and manginahanglan ta og maayong fire system (With the construction of high-rise buildings in Davao City, we saw the need to upgrade our equipment),” she said.

She said another truck will soon arrive.

Meanwhile, two travel buses donated by the Nanning City government of China were also presented during the vehicle blessing.

Duterte-Carpio said one bus will be shared by CTOO and DCIPC to be used whenever the city government will have invited guests. The other bus will be used to transport public school teachers working in the Mintal, Calinan, and Marilog district.

“During my first term as mayor, duna’y mulo ang mga teachers nga underserved sa public transport, especially sa Marilog (Teachers in far flung areas, especially those in Marilog, are being underserved in terms of public transport),” the mayor said, adding some teachers would result to hitch-hiking, carpooling, or even walking going to their respective assigned schools.

The city government, earlier, received a bus donated by a local company as a transport vehicle for teachers.

The mayor said the city government is currently reviewing its distaster plan and its budget.

She said the city, last week, had a three-day meeting to update its plan for 2019 to 2025.

She added procurement of more vehicles for disaster preparedness and response is being considered.