Basak-Pardo may charge for use of rescue mini-bus

CEBU, Philippines - The city council has approved the ordinance of barangay Basak-Pardo which legalized the collection of fees for use of their barangay disaster relief mini-bus.

They said Basak-Pardo’s imposition of fees for usage of the bus is according to law and therefore was not opposed by the Committees on Public Services and Transportation.

According to the request letter of Basak-Pardo barangay captain Dave Tumulak, the mini-bus is furnished with life-saving equipment such as an oxygen tank, a medical kit, splints and cervical collars, a nebulizer, a generator and other rescue-related equipments.

The said mini-bus, Tumulak said, has a seating capacity of 35 persons and can be used for personal, official and religious organizations.

The term “use”, according to the ordinance refers to the persons or representatives of any organization who uses the mini-bus as their means of transport.

According to the ordinance, one liter of crude oil should be given by the user to make up for its consumption and they should present an official receipt from any gasoline station to the barangay officials.

A fee of P500 is to be paid by a customer who is going north of Cebu City including Mandaue and Consolacion; as well as going south until Naga town.

The fee will increase by another P500 if the trip is beyond Consolacion until Daanbantayan and going Naga until Santander.

A fee of P5,000 is to be collected for users outside Cebu Province.

However there are entities that are exempted from the payment of charges but will just handle the crude oil.

These entities include members of Solo Parents, barangay Children’s Organization, persons with disabilities, senior citizens organizations, Erpat and Kalipi.

Use during disasters, floods, storm, calamities, emergencies and accidents are also exempted from payment of such fees.

All collections are assured to go directly to the general fund of the barangay. — Ferliza C. Contratista/BRP (THE FREEMAN)