Talisay to sell its ageing vehicles

CEBU, Philippines – Due to its high maintenance cost, Talisay City will dispose of its old service vehicles, said its new public information officer (PIO).

Newly appointed PIO Arturo Bas said this was what was agreed upon during last Monday's regular meeting with department heads and Mayor Socrates Fernandez.

However, Bas said they will still have to seek "approval" from the Commission on Audit first.

Bas said the vehicles, since these are more than five years old, are "draining" the funds of the government with their regular repair and maintenance cost.

Hence, in that meeting, it was initially agreed that these will be sold, and the income generated from such sale will be used in buying brand new ones.

Among the city hall-owned service vehicles that are set to be sold are the dilapidated multicabs and two Nissan Terrano vehicles of the Talisay City Police Station and other old service vehicles that are more than five years old.

The two Nissan Terrano vehicles were given last August 2006 during the stint of former vice mayor Aberdovey Belleza, who chaired the committee on peace and order and public safety in the city council.

Another vehicle of the same model was given to the now defunct Traffic Commission.

The three vehicles cost the city around P1 million.

Meanwhile, as this developed, Councilor Semy Cabuenas, chairman on council committee on social welfare and services, fears that Talisay Rescue Emergency Action Team (Treat) won't be able to respond "effectively" to emergency cases because of its dilapidated service vehicle, a multicab.

Cabuenas said at least two vehicles would be assigned to a rescue team especially that it is always in the frontline during emergency cases.

Bas, who chaired the council committee on budget and appropriation, however assured that by next near, the city will allocate a budget to areas that need vehicles to better provide the basic services to the people.

He said the expected increase of the city's Internal Revenue Allotment will be used for this purpose.

The increase he said will be no less than 10 percent, as it has been every year. The city's IRA for this year is P320 million. (THE FREEMAN)