City Hall has fewer guards

CEBU, Philippines - The head of Cebu City Hall’s General Service Office (GSO) yesterday confirmed that the P10,481,802 budget approved by the City Council for security could only afford to pay the services of 72 private security guards.

Engr. Rolando Ardoza said the city had 76 guards last year but with a slashed budget of only P10.4 million they could no longer afford to hire the same number.

Ardoza said the total contract price for the one year service of 72 private guards at P12,105 every month is P10,459,445.

“Giibanan na lang nato ang gidaghanon sa atong mga gwardya kay dili na man g’yud maabot sa giaprobahan nga security budget,” Ardoza said.

He explained that last year, the City was able to sustain the services of the civilian peace-keeping volunteers who used to be members of the Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN) because the budget was P20 million.

But even Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young was surprised because the City was still able to hire the BIN members during the time of mayor Tomas Osmeña even if the budget for security was only P8,921,426 in 2010.

“Dili na man g’yud na kahibudngan kay pag-asumer pa lang ni mayor Rama gipangilisan man gani dayon niya ang mga BIN ug mga security guards. Gusto g’yud niya nga wad-on ang mga BIN,” Young said.

Rama yesterday explained that when he assumed as mayor in the middle of 2010 he quickly replaced the BIN personnel manning the entrance of City Hall because the agency guards can be asked to pay of whatever things lost when they are on duty.

“Ang mga BIN mapugos ba gud nato sila nga pagpabayad kon dunay mangawala dinhi sa City Hall? Magamit nato sila pag-abang lang sa mga security guards apan unsaon nga wala na may extra funds para nila,” the mayor said.

About 150 BIN members who were hired by City Hall to assist its security personnel will not be renewed effective January and were already told to stop reporting to their posts.

Rama said the City could no longer afford to continue the services even if each of them only receives P4,000 monthly honorarium.  (FREEMAN)