THREE brand-new buses were delivered by RDAK Transport Equipment Inc. to the Cebu City Government on Monday, Nov. 4, 2019.
During the time of then mayor Tomas Osmeña, the City allocated P152 million from the 2019 Annual Budget to purchase 19 buses for the purpose of transporting students in mountain villages.
RDAK won the bidding held in the first quarter of 2019.
However, Mayor Edgardo Labella, who defeated Osmeña in the May 13 elections, said the buses from RDAK are not fit to traverse roads in mountain villages and the lives of students could be put at risk.
“I think those buses are too huge to use for mountain barangays. The roads there are not wide enough. We will be ordering small buses or coasters for the mountain barangays,” he said.
Labella accepted the Isuzu buses from RDAK representatives led by Connie Cabardo.
An Isuzu bus can carry 50 passengers. On Nov. 15, RDAK is set to deliver five buses.
Cabardo, RDAK’s Visayas area sales manager, said they will deliver the rest of the buses before the year ends.
Labella said one of the buses will be designated to transport senior citizens. Other groups can use the bus if the elderly constituents are not using it.
The mayor said the buses cannot be used by city residents who plan to go to the beaches. However, these can be used by residents who are going to a burial, wedding, seminar and training, among others.
General services department head June Maratas said the City is capable of maintaining the Isuzu buses. (From PAC of SuperBalita Cebu, KAL)