Cebu City public works office needs ‘own’ repair team

CEBU, Philippines - The head of the city’s Department of Engineering and Public Works is suggesting to the Cebu City Hall to provide them a separate maintenance team so they could immediate fix their equipment and respond to barangay requests as soon as possible.

Acting Cebu City Engineer Jose Marie Poblete said that while there are several heavy equipment and vehicles assigned to the DEPW, they are depending on the General Services Office maintenance personnel, who attend to all city and barangay-owned vehicles.

He said that every time their equipment bog down, repairs would always be delayed because the GSO maintenance personnel have so many vehicles and equipment to fix, including those of the police.

“Usahay lagi, maikog kami sa mga opisyal sa barangay nga mo-request sa opisina og mga engineering works nga dili dayon namo maaksyonan kay daghan kaayo sa among mga ekipo ug mga sakyanan ang guba (We cannot act immediately on requests from the barangays because many of our equipment and vehicles need fixing),” said Poblete.

He admitted that his office has failed on several occasions to immediately respond to the requests of the barangays because their equipment bogged down and it would take several days for repairs to be completed.

He said it would help his office deliver better service if they have maintenance team whose job is only to take care of DEPW equipment and vehicles.

The DEPW personnel’s jobs include maintaining city roads, de-clogging drainage systems, and supporting other City Hall departments that need equipment.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella supported Poblete’s concern to assign maintenance personnel to DEPW, but said another solution is that the city should refrain from buying second hand equipment and vehicles. (FREEMAN)