Public wifi faces delay

CEBU, Philippines — The installation of Cebu City’s public wifi program may face another delay as the City Council has scrutinized its budget proposal in an executive session yesterday, August 28.

The executive session was scheduled after the deferment on the approval of the installation of the public wifi at the Plaza Sugbo grounds and in Plaza Independencia, after questions were raised on its “expensive” P4 million price tag.

Yesterday, the City Department of Engineering and Public Works, particularly those involved in the preparation of the program of works and estimates; the City Bids and Awards Committee; Department of Information and Communications Technology; the contractor, Trends and Technologies, Inc.;

City Department of General Services; and City Management Information and Computer Services (MICS) showed up to join the executive session.

In an interview right after the executive session, City Councilor Nestor Archival, Sr. said there should be definite objectives for the project, including the identification of the anticipated number of users of the public wifi.

He alleged that the contractor only asked for P30,000 for mobilization but MICS had instead indicated at least P300,000.

The proposal for the installation of public wifi was previously discussed after City Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairman of the City Council committee on, infrastructure, filed a resolution requesting acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia to sign an agreement with Trends and Technologies Inc. for the installation of public wifi outdoor access points in Cebu City for almost P4 million.

“Nangayo na sila og authority sa council nga ang mayor maoy mopirma sa kontrata, but the contract for me is something irregular,” said Archival.

He added, the POWE of the city government only indicated a total budget of P4 million without allegedly any indication of prices of the items.

At the end of the discussion, the City Council requested the revision of the budget proposal with specific prices to be indicated for each of the items. — /RHM (FREEMAN)