Kidapawan eyes loan for heavy equipment

COTABATO CITY, Philippines  --- The city council of Kidapawan authorized Wednesday Mayor Rodolfo Gantuangco to apply for a P75-million  loan to acquire heavy equipment, but two opposition councilors dissented, convinced there was “political agenda” in the multi-million equipment procurement plan.

The approval by the city council for Gantuangco’s office to seek loan from the Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) came at an “inappropriate time,” according to city councilor Lauro Taynan.

The plan to avail of the equipment loan was also opposed by councilor Greg Yarra.

Yarra and Taynan’s attempt to block the loan approval was, however, outvoted by their 10 colleagues in the council,  allies of Gantuangco.

Yarra and Taynan said they are not opposing the move to help the city's engineering office to become more efficient, but are concerned with the timing of securing a bank loan within the election period.

“The discussion in the council was emotional.   We argued so hard to make the other councilors understand our arguments.   For me, the loan is untimely and I see a hidden agenda, especially now that the elections are fast approaching,” Taynan said.

Most members of the council, and Gantuangco himself, are seeking re-election.

Another issue Taynan and Yarra raised was Gantuangco's plan to procure heavy equipment from China, saying the quality of these equipment may be inferior compared to those manufactured  in Europe, Japan, and the United States.

“No discrimination meant. Sorry,  [but] per our experience, and based on feedback from reliable sources, road-building equipment made in China cannot be labeled as `heavy duty’ and are only good for two or three years,” Taynan said.

Taynan said the city mayor's office also failed to explain why the loan would have to be secured from the PVB, and not from city government’s official depository, the Land Bank of the Philippines.

However, Gantuangco's office said the transaction would be transparent.

"There is COA that would monitor the procurement, the council decides as a colegial body and that everything would be done transparently, in the strictest context of accountability, " Gantuangco's office said.