CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City tax payers are hit with a double whammy in the P360,000 contract entered into by the City Hall for the unlimited workout plan of officials at the Holiday Gym and Spa.
The city officials did not only use public funds for their personal fitness program, the amount has been found to be bloated as well.
Based on the purchase order dated May 19, 2011 which was signed by Mayor Michael Rama and Veronica Enriquez, Holiday Gym and Spa operations manager, the city is paying P360,000 or P18,000 each for the 20 officials.
The program started in May 19, but the covering resolution sponsored by Councilor Jose Daluz was passed only last October 12.
The amount appeared to be overpriced by at least P160,000 based on the computation and figures gathered by The FREEMAN. A staff named “Mabe” said the annual membership only costs P12,500 each.
They can also give as much as 20 percent discount for group enrollment of 11 to 20 persons. Doing a quick math, P12,500 less P2,500 or 20-percent gives you P10,000, which should have been the annual registration fee of each official and not P18,000.
According to the staff, this amount entitles a member to use all amenities of the gym.
The staff said their monthly registration is P2,000 for those who wish to avail of their fitness program only for a month while P5,000 for three months.
Daluz, who sponsored the resolution, was not available for comment.
Rama already signed the notice of award to Holiday Gym and Spa for the unlimited workout plan of the city officials following the passage of the resolution in the City Council.
The program however was criticized by the public for using government funds in the personal workout plan of the city officials.
Ombudsman probe
Meanwhile, even if Mayor Rama will not avail of his membership at Cebu Holiday Gym and Spa, this cannot stop the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas to conduct a fact-finding investigation.
Assistant Ombudsman for the Visayas Virginia Santiago said they already docketed the newspaper report and it will be raffled to an investigator.
She said it was the duty of the investigator to get all the evidence and to evaluate if the resolution passed was appropriate or illegal.
Santiago said she cannot give any comment as of now as to the withdrawal of Rama, but said they will continue the fact-finding.
“Sometimes, it’s okay to be watchful,” she said.
A total of P360,000 or P18,000 each was allocated for the annual membership of the 18 councilors, the vice mayor and the mayor to the Cebu Holiday Gym and Spa.
Rama said he had signed the notice of award for a one-year membership of the 18 councilors as it was out of respect since this was wished by them.
However, he clarified that he never used it.
Santiago said they will investigate, if it is appropriate to use government funds for the physical fitness of the city officials. — with Mylen P. Manto/NLQ (FREEMAN)