By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — New vehicles will be provided to five new members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).
The recipients are Renato Malabor and Alain Gatuslao, both of the 5th District, Victor Javellana of the 4th District, Johnna Ko of the 3rd District, and Rolando Ponsica of the 1st District.
SP members Patrick Lacson, Renato Gustilo and Helen Zafra, who have dilapidated cars, will also be provided with new vehicles, said finance committee chair Salvador Escalante.
The SP was yet to allocate a budget for the purchase of the new vehicles, which shall be at a minimum of P1.3 million each.
Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, the SP presiding officer, said Board members “need mobility to reach out to their respective constituents.”
Also, “these new vehicles will replace the old ones, which have become a burden,” Lacson told Panay News in a text message, referring to huge maintenance expenses shouldered by the SP’s maintenance and other operating expenses allocation.
Are the SP members ready for possible flak from people?
“The BMs will be answerable to their respective constituents,” said the vice governor.
“A purchase such as this has been done before, and it passed the scrutiny of their constituents,” Lacson said in the text message.
Escalante assured that the type of vehicles and their purchase will be based on guidelines set by the Department of Interior and Local Government./PN
