3 firms claim Cebu City gov’t “owes” them P7M

CEBU, Philippines - Three more companies are seeking the help of the Cebu City Council in getting at least P7 million the city government allegedly failed to pay them for the construction materials they delivered a year ago.

In a joint letter, the managements of Pentax Hardware, Inc., Centrade Hardware Corp. and Geety Realty and Development Corporation sought assistance of the council.

“We are constrained to seek directly for your assistance to facilitate the payment of the purchase price of the materials which we have already delivered,” they said.

The city government reportedly still owes Centrade Hardware Corp. P984,120, Geety Realty and Development Corporation P413,400 and Pentax Hardware, Inc. P6,249,550, or a total of P7,647,070.

Based on the purchase request, the amount was spent for slum improvement and resettlement in areas in barangays Suba, Alaska Mambaling, Sawang Calero, Pasil, Labangon and Bulacao.

“The DWUP (Department for the Welfare of the Urban Poor) appears reluctant to issue the Program of Works and Estimate (POWE) purportedly because there are matters which the said office needs to clarify,” their letter said.

They believed that the non-issuance of the POWE is the only reason that is withholding the payment.

“We are of the impression that whatever may be the reason which has impelled DWUP to refuse to issue the POWE is a matter which can be threshed out and resolved between this Honorable Council and DWUP,” the companies added.

They believed that there should be no reason to further withhold the payment since they have already complied with all the requirements and have delivered the goods.

The FREEMAN tried to contact lawyer Collin Rosell, who heads DWUP, for explanation but calls to him went unanswered.

A source from Centrade Hardware Corp., who refused to be identified, claimed that the amount stated in the POWE and in the purchase request are not the same.

The source said that their operation has already been affected by the city government’s failure to pay the amount.

“Oo, apektado g’yud kay dili na man ma-rolling ang kwarta,” the source said.

Earlier, two catering services, – Cebu Red Carpet Catering Services and D’LM Kitchenette — also sought the council’s help, claiming that the city government has yet to pay them P5.2 million and P100,000, respectively, for the food that they have delivered.

The Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) has requested Councilor Gerardo Carillo, chairperson of the council committee on social services, for a resolution indicating the payment to D’LM Kitchenette for  the meals served during the “Pasko ni Lola ug Lolo” activity in 2012.

The amount covers 1,250 packed meals, which each cost P80.

OSCA chief Rolando Llaguno, in his letter to city treasurer Diwa Cuevas, said they have written a request to city budget officer Nelfa Briones in May last year “to include the said payable in the supplemental budget but unfortunately it was left out.”

Cuevas explained that they do not usually pay if the company lacks the necessary requirements or the person responsible requested the budget late.

 But on May 19, 2014, Cuevas finally signed the certificate of the availability of funds for the amount to be paid to D’LM Kitchenette.

Cebu Red Carpet Catering Service, on the other hand, is still asking the city to pay the “long overdue” P5.2 million worth of packed meals it reportedly served to poll watchers during the 2010 elections.

Cuevas said that they are waiting for the court’s decision on the civil case filed by Red Carpet against the city in 2012.

The defendants of the case are Mayor Michael Rama and former city treasurer Ofelia Oliva. — /NSA (FREEMAN)