Council defers aircon procurement for CH satellite office

The Cebu City Council has deferred action on the proposed procurement of air-conditioning units for the Cebu City Satellite Office after minority floor leader, Councilor Nestor Archival, questioned the items for being “expensive.”

Councilor Noel Wenceslao, chairman of the committee on budget and finance, pushed on Wednesday, April 24, for the approval of the P940,000 budget for the air-conditioning units of the satellite office at the building owned by the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD).

The budget shall be charged against the continuing appropriations under the Office of the Mayor. Archival questioned the items in the proposed procurement for allegedly being expensive.

He also noted that it was not indicated in the purchase request whether the amount already include the installation fee.

“If the installation is not included, we should be very clear that the people who will install this will be accredited contractors of the brand because not unless it is accredited, the warranty will be void,” Archival explained.

The questions prompted the proponent himself to ask for deferment and refer the matter back to the Office of the Architect for justification.

Archival also raised an issue about installing the air-conditioning units at the property owned by MCWD. According to him, he is “concerned” since there is no contract of negotiations yet provided from the MCWD.

“If we are going to install these items there, what happens if we cannot use it there?” said Archival

To recall, the MCWD management wants to regain possession of the building after the city government refused to pay the rentals.

Wenceslao, however, said that it is already the call of the executive department. He explained that their role in the City Council is only for the charging of the items being requested.

“So I will just defer it for one week and hopefully we can discuss it when I move this for approval,” said Wenceslao.

He assured that the Office of the Architect will be part of the discussion in order to provide justification of the items sought to be procured. –/FPL (FREEMAN)