Council wants info on current state of city’s street lighting

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Council has requested the department head, and the division head of the Street Lighting Division of the Department of Public Services (DPS) to appear in an executive session to apprise the City Council about the current state of the street lighting, including the expenses incurred by the city government, and their plans and programs.

Councilor Nestor Archival, Sr. sponsored a resolution regarding the matter which was approved by the council.

Archival said that the total electricity cost of the buildings and lightings maintained by the city government as of July 2022, as provided by the Department of General Services (DGS), is more or less P34,262,202.04.

Last August 31, during the regular session of the City Council, Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera submitted a resolution, which was approved, requesting the Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) to submit to the City Council a report on the number of personnel including regular, casual, and job order who are under the Street Lighting Division of the DPS indicating the personnel cost.

Before the approval of the said resolution, a brief discussion ensued among the members of 16th Sangguniang Panlungsod elucidating the need for the data of the whole employees of the city government, not just the Street Lighting Division.

“The discussion should have included the problems of our city street lights among others including the expenses incurred by the city government for the electricity,” said Archival.

With this, the council also requested the department head, and the division head of Street Lighting Division under DPS to bring with them a copy of the contract between the Cebu City government and Visayan Electric Company (VECO) as well as records of payment made by the city government for the period of January to December 2021 and January to August 2022.

The executive session is scheduled on October 5, 2022.

Section 16 in relation to Section 458 of Republic Act No. 7160 otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 provides that every local government unit shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily implied therefrom, as well as powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for its efficient and effective governance, and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare, and shall enact ordinances, approve resolutions and appropriate funds for the general welfare of the city and its inhabitants. — JMD (FREEMAN)