DWUP to help collect P7M city debt

CEBU, Philippines - The Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor has promised three companies it will help them collect at least P7 million the city government owes them as payment for construction materials delivered almost a year ago.

 â€œOn process man gud ang papers ana kay naa kunoy gipangita nga papeles. Naa lay gamay nga giasikaso pa sa papeles. Ako lang siguro na silang tabangan siguro nganong nainana na,” DWUP head Colin Rosell said yesterday.

 The amount was spent for slum improvement and resettlement in Barangays Suba, Alaska Mambaling, Sawang Calero, Pasil, Labangon and Bulacao, which was implemented by DWUP. 

 DWUP is the city’s department “assigned to implement socialized housing program and provide services towards addressing the tenurial and housing needs of the homeless citizens.”

 In a joint letter to the City Council, Pentax Hardware, Inc., Centrade Hardware Corp. and Geety Realty and Development Corporation said there is no reason for the city to delay the payment further because they have complied with all the requirements.

 â€œWe are constrained to seek directly for your assistance to facilitate the payment of the purchase price of the materials which we have already delivered,” the letter reads.

  The city owes P984,120 to Centrade Hardware Corp., P413,400 to Geety Realty and Development Corporation and P6,249,550 for the Pentax Hardware, Inc.

 â€œThe DWUP (Department for the Welfare of the Urban Poor) appears reluctant to issue the Program of Works and Estimate (POWE) purportedly because there are matters which the said office needs to clarify,” the letter reads further.

  â€œWe are of the impression that whatever may be the reason which has impelled DWUP to refuse to issue the POWE is a matter which can be threshed out and resolved between this Honorable Council and DWUP,” the companies’ representatives said.

 Rosell said his office pays its debts, contending, “Kon DWUP basin ako ang reluctant (to issue the POWE). Kon reluctant man gani ko what I am trying to emphasize is atong tarungon siya… ato siyang tarungon nga dili siya ma-question kay bisag tinarong atong gibuhat unya di ta maayo mo document, diha sa documentation ma-question man ta.” (FREEMAN)