Move of barangay to make bus an "eco enterprise" junked

CEBU, Philippines - Following the tragic accident last week when a barangay-owned bus plummeted into a ravine, which killed two and injured 39 others, the City Council committee on budget and finance rejected the move of barangay Sawang Calero to make money out of its bus.

Councilor Jose Daluz III, the committee chairman, said the title of the Sawang Calero’s proposed ordinance is “misleading” and “improper” because it seeks that the barangay’s bus would be considered as an “economic enterprise” for the barangay.

“Economic enterprise connotes profit making when the measure merely seeks to impose charges for its maintenance and upkeep,” the committee’s report reads.

The committee said that while it respects the barangay’s authority to collect reasonable fees or charges for services rendered in connection with the regulation of barangayowned properties or service facilities, the title of the proposed ordinance is, however, misleading and improper.

The committee said the proposal poses “may present problems if questions will be raised in the future” if the barangay’s “Baby Bus” would be considered as a “common carrier with obligations of such.”

The committee recommended that barangay Sawang Calero study the ordinance further.

Last April 22, members of the Legion of Mary rented the bus of barangay Sambag 1 for an out-of-town trip to barangay Babag but the bus plunged into a deep ravine in barangay Busay.

The incident made city and barangay officials extra cautious in renting government-owned vehicles. — Ferliza C. Contratista with Karen Grace H. Yasi (THE FREEMAN)