City offers free laundry to cops, firemen

Free laundry service will be provided to the city's police and fire personnel as Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants them "tidy while on duty".

Councilor Augustus "Jun" Pe Jr., yesterday said that Osmeña has already approved the P112,000 budgetary requirements for the laundry service of police and fire personnel uniforms.

Pe said the amount will cover the cost of equipment to be purchased such as washing machine, dryer, flat iron, ironing board, hanger, nylon cord and detergent powder. He also said that the city will hire one laundry woman with an honorarium of P200 a day.

The laundry service will be piloted at the new Mabolo police and fire station. The budgetary requirement, to cover a six-month trial period, will be charged to Pagcor funds, and that guidelines will be followed as to what procedure the city will undertake.

Madeline Tabar, the mayor's executive staff, will be assigned to monitor the laundry service.

When asked why the mayor came across this idea, Pe answered Osmeña wants the persons in authority to be neat and respectable as their uniform represents their duties to the people and country.

Police Coordinating and Advisory Council chairman and Vice Mayor Michael Rama, in a separate interview, agreed to the proposal of the mayor but hopes that authorities wearing their uniforms would be true to their duties in the office they have been sworn into, as well as to adhere and live up to their code of ethics, in or out of their uniforms.

"The idea is good because it will provide prestige and make them feel better but dili lang unta kutob sa uniform kun dili sa pagsulbad sa krimen ug pagtubag sa mga alarma," Rama said. - Garry B. Lao