City to reuse last year's X-mas lights

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government targets to decorate and light the city’s main thoroughfares by December 16 in time for the Misa de Gallo, the official start of the Christmas celebration.

This year’s Christmas Lighting Project shall recycle the Christmas lights and decorations purchased and utilized last year to avoid additional expenses.

City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete said the Office of the Mayor tasked the Parks and Playground Commission to take charge of the project with the help of the Department of Public Services, Department of Engineering and Public Works, the Squatter Prevention and Encroachment Elimination Division and the City Traffic Operations Management.

Unlike last year where each of the identified streets is assigned to one department, the project implementation is centralized to the Parks and Playgrounds Commission because the departments had been very busy with various activities.

It was also agreed by the department heads early this year that the project should be handled by the Parks and Playgrounds Commission whose job, among many others, is to beautify the streets of the city.

Poblete said last year’s decorations will be used because most can still be recycled while some that were damaged but can still be repaired have already been repaired.

These decorations purchased last year cost the city some P5.1 million.

To recall, the Christmas Lighting Project was questioned by the Commission on Audit because the City Treasurer’s Office used a cash advance to purchase the items.

COA did not question the project itself but only the process used to release the funds. COA asked why the P5.1 million cash advance was released without an accountant’s advice.

But former City Treasurer Oliva then said that the funds were released due to urgency because it was already December and nearing Christmas yet the departments had not started decorating the streets.

Poblete said the CTO has already submitted to COA their response to its observation and is awaiting feedback.

The streets to be decorated are Osmeña Blvd., N. Bacalso Ave., Imus Road, Plaza Independencia, Plaza Sugbu, Juan Luna Ave., San Jose de la Montaña, Gorordo Avenue and Escario, among others.

Poblete said they have tapped the Visayan Electric Company and the barangay tanods to watch out for power pilferage. He said pilferage is rampant especially at night when no one is watching. — /BRP (FREEMAN)