Vizcaya board wants new vehicles, electronic gadgets

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – The provincial board wants to allocate P21.7 million for the purchase of brand-new service cars as well as mobile phones, tablets, laptops and swivel chairs for its board members.

In a Sept. 20 letter, Vice Gov. Epifanio Galima asked Gov. Ruth Padilla for her “favorable consideration” to have the amount included in the provincial government’s 2013 supplemental budget.

“(This is in line) with the legislative enhancement program which is enactment of local laws in support of development programs and initiatives,” Galima said in his letter to Padilla.

Residents, however, said that rather than having high-end gadgets, the board members should instead use the funds for more pressing needs like more farm-to-market roads, scholarships for poor students, and medicine in public hospitals and rural health units.

Besides 13 new vehicles, the proposed budget also includes the purchase of 14 laptops with printers, 14 pocket Wi-Fi, 14 cell phones, 14 tablets, 14 cameras, 15 swivel chairs, a microwave oven, a coffee maker, a hot and cold water dispenser, and new curtains.

Galima, who presides over the 14-member board, said the quality of cell phones to be procured for the board members would be “in consonance with… (their) personality.”

Galima said they would use the gadgets in their research work, and besides, these would help them get rid of using volumes of papers, which is good for the environment.

For the new service vehicles, the board said this would be less costly than having the old and dilapidated ones purchased during the previous administration to be regularly maintained and repaired.

“In fairness to us, we really need new service vehicles. What we are still using are obsolete ones, which were purchased as second-hand in 2004. Besides, the old ones are more costly to maintain than having a new one,” said board member Filma Perez.

Ordinary folk, however, described the board’s plan as extravagant and unnecessary.

“(They) should be more sensible to the basic needs (of) the people of (the province)... and not to spend on luxurious things,” said a resident from the commercial town of Solano.

“How dare these public servants demand for the people’s money spent for their wants? Do they need tablets to legislate laws for the province?” said Hazel Buctayon, a senior college student of the Catholic Church-run Saint Mary’s University here.

“We would understand if it’s only for laptops. But we cannot see the wisdom of board members both having high-end mobile phones and tablets. (It’s) totally unacceptable. They should have these gadgets at their own personal expense, not from our hard-earned money,” another resident said.