Offices to explain why donated equipment now left at junkyard

CEBU, Philippines – Now that the whereabouts of the aerial ladder truck and water tanker is already known, Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella wants an explanation why the equipment ended up in the city's junkyard.

Labella said he will have the General Services Offices and the Bureau of Fire Protection explain why the firefighting equipment donated by Iki, Japan in 2000 are left rotting at the junkyard at the South Road Properties, instead of being maintained.

"The question is why they are not properly maintained; they should be maintained. You know, this is good as brand new when it was brought in the city. If only these were properly taken care of, I think they will not end up in the junkyard," he told reporters yesterday.

Following Labella's inquiry earlier, GSO officer-in-charge Ronaldo Malacora informed the vice mayor through a letter of the whereabouts of the equipment.

"Please be informed that these units were returned by the former CCDRRMO Executive Director Simeon Romarate to Engineer Alberto A. Bantuyan, Engineer III of the Equipment Repair and Maintenance Management and stored at the repair shop located in South Road Properties last March 2, 2015 for being unserviceable," read Malacora's letter dated October 21.

Based on the property return slip, the aerial ladder truck and water tanker were subject for repair since their pumps have been damaged.

After knowing this, Labella then recommended for repair.

But last Wednesday, Malacora said it is hard to repair the equipment because the needed spare parts are not available in the city.

He, nevertheless, vowed to include the equipment in the city's batch of properties that will be subject for the next repair.

By seeking for an explanation, Labella said he wants to stress that all vehicles owned by the city should be properly maintained, especially those that are donated.

He said he will write a letter about the matter addressed to both GSO and BFP.  On October 12, the vice mayor started looking for the equipment following a newspaper report that the city government has acquired its first aerial ladder only recently. —/NSA (FREEMAN)