Talisay ABC: Where is our fuel allocation?

CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) has called on city budget officer Edgar Mabunay to explain why until now their fuel allocation intended for their respective vehicles has not been released. 

Talisay City Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) president and barangay Dumlog chief Charles Basillote, in an interview with The Freeman, said it’s almost three-months since the city council approved his resolution to allocate undisclosed amount for fuel allocation will be given instead to help the barangays’ peace and order operations.

“Mo-demand lang mi og explanation ni Sir Edgar nganong hangtod karon wala pa man gyud na-release. Ang mga kapitanes nag-sige na og pangutana nako,” Basillote said. 

Basillote said the 22 barangay captains will have a general assembly this morning and Mabunay will be asked to cite the reasons why their fuel allocation has not been released yet. 

The city government has lowered the fuel subsidy for garbage trucks owned by the city’s barangays now that the city plans to hire a private contractor to collect garbage.

Last year, Basillote said the city government planned to allocate about P5,000 to the city’s 22 barangays as fuel allocation for their garbage trucks but Mabunay said the city plans to turn over its garbage collection to a private company.

He said that aside from lowering the P5,000 fuel allocation, the private company that the city will hire will buy the garbage trucks owned by the city government and the barangays so they could use for collection.

Basillote said he and a majority of barangay chiefs in the city agree to privatize the city’s garbage collection as it gives them “peace of mind.”

However, even though their garbage collection has been turned over to a private company, Basillote assures barangay chiefs they can still receive the fuel allocation, but lower than what was originally given.  (FREEMAN)