ILOILO City – Mayor Jerry Treñas’ offer of new service vehicles to city councilors is putting the latter in an awkward position.
Should they accept the vehicles – pickups that cost at least a million pesos – or not?
Councilor Candice Tupas turned it down. She preferred using her own vehicle for her work.
“I personally think that the budget for it (should) be used for more health programs that are much needed at this time,” said Tupas.
She suggested that the vehicle intended for her office be assigned to city hall departments or offices that needed it more like the molecular laboratory in Molo district or the City Health Office.
“To be fair to the city mayor, he gave me the leeway to accept or to decline the offer. (But) I appreciate the offer to have a government (service) vehicle,” said Tupas.
Councilor Mandrie Malabor also waived the use of a new vehicle, and asked Treñas to instead detail it to the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).
“In fairness to Mayor Treñas, when we talked about it weeks ago, he informed me that if I will not avail myself of the vehicle, it would be given to a department that may need it more,” he said.
“Ako personally nagapati nga dako ang mabulig sang dugang nga salakyan sa CSWDO considering nga kalapad sang scope sang ila function sa bilog nga pito ka distrito,” said Malabor.
Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo, meantime, returned the vehicle yesterday after initially accepting it. He waived the vehicle in favor of the City Engineer’s Office.
“Ang City Engineer ta gani service… siling ko ti ihatag ko na lang ‘ni ang sa akon so gin-turn-over ko sa iya (City Engineer Salvador Pedregosa). Naglisensya man ko,” said Peñaredondo.
TREÑAS DEFENDS PURCHASE
According to the city mayor, the purchased pickups were “not luxurious” and their primary purpose is as means of transport “for everyone to better serve the community.”
“These are standard pickups, 4×2, without leather seats,” he said.
He also clarified that the pickups were intended for the offices of the councilors for official use and not for their personal enjoyment.
It has long been the standard practice of the city government to provide service vehicles to various departments, said Treñas.
Three purchased vans for the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team of the Iloilo City Police Office and ambulances for the Iloilo City Emergency Response (ICER) Team would be delivered soon.
‘ESSENTIAL’
Councilor Ely Estante said his office accepted the vehicle because as chairman of the Iloilo City Projects Monitoring Council, he needed it for better mobility.
“Nag-request kami kay mayor…so that for every inspection may sakyan man kami… makabulig ining nga salakyan sa amon considering ang akon mga miembro puro mga ABC (Association of Barangay Captains) presidents. Kon may mga inspection, kinanglanon may ara kami sakyan,” said Estante.
He also clarified that the vehicles were not giveaways.
“Gintugyan lang sa amon bangod nakita man seguro sang aton mayor nga may nisisidad man sa amon mga official trips,” Estante stressed.
The city dad also said the vehicle purchases were planned even before the pandemic struck last year.
Liga ng mga Barangay city federation president (and ex-officio member of the city council) Irene Ong said her office needed a service vehicle.
“Ako ‘ya kinanglan ko,” said Ong. “Ang Liga ng mga Barangay damu man ‘ni ang papeles ‘ya nga ginapangdul-ong. Maluoy ka man sa aton mga tawo kon motor lang dal-on nila.”
She noted that the Liga had a government-issued vehicle, a 20-year-old van but already already defective.
“Waay kami ‘ya gintagaan ah, ginpahulam, may seal sang Iloilo City ang salakyan,” said Ong. “Kon indi ka na ‘ya konsehal pila ka adlaw uli mo ‘na ‘ya.”
Councilor Romel Duron, for his part, said he won’t return the vehicle because he needed it as chairman of the committee on transportation and public utilities and others.
“Ako ang may pinakadamo obra dira sa konseho,” Duron stressed. “From time to time, kinanglan ko salakyan especially magkadto sa barangay. Kadamo gid sang committee hearings ko nga kinanglan gid mapabalo gilayon ang tawo,” he added.
“Okay lang kon may cellphone matawgan mo pero kon indi ma kontak, ginasugo ko gid ang tawo ko nga kadtuan gid so akon personal nga salakyan ang gina-usar,” Duron revealed./PN
