Vizcaya board members to get new SUVs

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – The 13 members of the provincial board reportedly gifted themselves with a brand new sport utility vehicle (SUV) worth P1.5 million each through the passage of a resolution.

Gov. Ruth Padilla approved Ordinance No. 2013-245, providing each board member not only with new vehicles but also new gadgets such as tablets and laptops.

The board members, according to one of their colleagues, are currently busy choosing the SUV models they want to get for themselves.

The source said board member Efren Quiben, one of the ordinance’s prime movers, is eyeing a Toyota Fortuner, along with his colleagues Nestor Sevillena, Johnny Liban, Percival Marcos, Filma Dulay-Perez, Dolores Binwag and Emerlene Jane Galanta.

On the other hand, board members Pepito Balgos, Donior Tidang, Flodemonte Gerdan and Rex Iritan are picking Nissa Navarra while board members Santiago Dickson and Merlie Talingdan reportedly prefer a Mitsubishi Montero and Isuzu D-Max, respectively, the source said.

“I think it’s time for us to have a new service vehicles so we could function effectively and reach our constituents easily, particularly in the mountain barangays,” one of the board members said.

The source said they are expecting to receive these cars and gadgets by Christmas.

Besides the 13 brand new vehicles worth P19.5 million, the board members have reportedly allotted themselves with mobile phones, laptops, pocket WiFi, cameras and swivel chairs amounting to some P2 million.

On top of this, the resolution reportedly allows them to purchase appliances for their common use as well as new curtains for their offices.

Residents reportedly described the board’s move as extravagant, outrageous and revolting.

“Instead of these personal amenities, these board members should prioritize the improvement of roads, especially in the mountain villages,” said a resident from Solano town.

“What we need are more medicines for our public hospitals, scholarships for indigents but deserving students and farm subsidies for our farmers, especially those affected by recent typhoons,” a student of a Catholic school here said.

In his Facebook account, former board member now US-based Clemente Bacani posted an online petition seeking to stop the implementation of the resolution.