Mayor Rama turns over 2 new vehicles to brgy councilmen

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama yesterday distributed three more vehicles to the barangays but two of them were not given to the respective barangay captains and were turned over instead to the barangay councilmen who are reportedly allies of Team Rama.

Instead of giving the two Toyota Hilux vehicles to the barangay captains of T. Padilla and Bacayan, the mayor assigned the two vehicles to Councilman Ian Hasamal of Barangay T. Padilla and Councilman Efren Lauron of Barangay Bacayan.

T. Padilla Barangay Captain Michael Ralota, who sits as ex-officio member of the Cebu City Council as president of the Association of Barangay Council (ABC), is an ally of Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan (BOPK).

Ralota is reportedly one of BOPK’s candidates for councilor in the city’s north district while Bacayan Barangay Captain Armando Borces is also identified with Cebu City South district Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña.

The mayor, however, entrusted the dump truck to Mabini Barangay Captain Rey Oybenes.

Rama earlier explained that even if the vehicles that City Hall purchased are not entrusted to the barangay captains, it does not mean that these can be used only by said barangay councilmen.

According to Rama, the concerned vehicles were bought by City Hall for the people of the barangays, although these are just being entrusted to his allied barangay officials to ensure that this will not be used for partisan politics.

City Hall have already distributed more than 30 assorted vehicles that cost almost P1 million each, which he promised to the barangay captains in 2011. The money used to purchase the vehicles was taken from the 2011 supplemental budget.

Most of the barangay captains asked for Toyota Strada and Toyota Innova vehicles, but Guadalupe Barangay Captain Michael Gacasan just asked for a garbage truck for his barangay.

Although all of the 80 barangays in the city will be provided with brand new vehicles, the distribution will be made on a staggered basis due to the lack of available stocks of vehicles from the supplier. 

The city cannot provide fuel for these new vehicles yet because they were not included in this year’s budget.  (FREEMAN)