Villarante wants stricter policy on fuel subsidy

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Councilor Romeo Villarante wants strict guidelines to be put in place before any subsidy should be granted to the barangays.

Villarante, a member of the opposition, said he is not against the proposal to give P5,000 fuel and maintenance subsidy to each barangay every month.

However, Villarante said guidelines should put in place to prevent abuses.

Association of Barangay Councils president Charles Basillote earlier asked Mayor Socrates Fernandez to allocate each barangay with garbage truck a monthly subsidy for fuel and maintenance.

"I am not opposing the granting of monthly subsidy to the barangays but the grant of subsidy will be on performance basis," Villarante explained.

Villarante agreed that the city's subsidy will be of great help to the barangays. But he said there has to be specific policy on subsidy.

Of the 22 barangays, only 15 barangays have garbage trucks. Basillote agreed to Villarante's concern.

Basillote said he will be meeting the barangay captains to discuss the fuel subsidy soon after the mayor approves his request.

If the city government gives subsidies, barangays will be able to collect garbage efficiently and basic services will be delivered to the fullest.

Another opposition councilors Valeriano Ylanan and Danilo Caballero suggested that garbage trucks should not be used for other purposes. According to them, they have observed that garbage trucks are used to ferry barangay officials and residents to beach outings and funerals.

"I proposed before that the city government should provide each barangay a mini-bus so that garbage trucks will not be used in other purpose but until this very date, no action taken," Ylanan said.

COA said using government vehicles for non-official purposes is a violation of its Circular No. 75-6.

Section 4, paragraph B of Presidential Decree 1445 further provides that government funds or property shall be spent or used solely for public purposes.

Caballero also observed that the city is not giving priorities in garbage collection. He said that there was no regular collection of garbage in the city. — THE FREEMAN