Baguio Councilors Priority:Cars for Themselves

[Hanren]

I know this is not national in terms of scope but I think every sensible citizen would cringe on this proposal of our honorable city councilors here in Baguio.

Our city government is currently having problems on where to source out funds to buy at least 4 garbage dump trucks to help address the garbage problem in the city. In addition to that, our city's police force needs additional patrol cars to help maintain peace and order in the city.

But our city councilors passed a resolution alloting for themselves brand new cars each (max of 1 million pesos). This would be taken from the city's excess funds. They justified that they need cars for their travel to and from their work and home and would get gas allowances from the city government. People here in Baguio have reacted with disdain and contempt for this car plan but these councilors still insist that they could always source out other funds for the dump trucks in the future.

How insensitive can they get nowadays.. *rant* *rant* *rant*

[oliver1013]

Iba talaga ang Pinoy

[smooth]

hahaha kaya nga yan tumakbo sa halalan yang mga yan e hehehe

ano ba mapapala nila kung mapupunta lang sa public service ang budget ng gobyerno?

sabi nga ni dale carnegie, man daw is inherently good. para daw makagawa ito ng karumal-dumal, kelangan niya ng "justification." iniisip siguro ng mga hunghang na councilor na yan, "charity begins at home." "how can i do my job if i can't get to work?" "i will be of better service to my people if i have a 1-million-peso car to get me to work." "i need an incentive to perform my best public service."

and the classic...

"what are you in power for?"

hay kawawang pinas...

[eodboy]

tsk tsk tsk.... kapal ng mga muks.

Dito sa Baguio very honest ang mga TAXI. Magtaxi na lang kaya sila.. its cheaper. Tsaka may allowance naman sila.. AND... It's Baguio man! Maganda maglakad, exercise pa.

(dami dami ng ngang mga kotse na naka-park sa City hall... magiging problem na naman ang parking.)

PEACE!!

[fourtheboys96]

i also travel from home to work. maybe i can ask the govt to provide me a car

[_Qwerty_]

eh pwede naman sila bumili nang sasakyan.. pero bakit kailangan brand new pa?? at tig 1M pa?? aba sobra na yan.. kung sasakyan lang kailangan nila.. eh di kumuha sila nang 2nd hand na tig 80T.

[smooth]

eh pwede naman sila bumili nang sasakyan.. pero bakit kailangan brand new pa?? at tig 1M pa?? aba sobra na yan.. kung sasakyan lang kailangan nila.. eh di kumuha sila nang 2nd hand na tig 80T.

kumpadre naman, baka isipin nila kumpareng sendong na pipitsugin ito. aba, nanalo ata ito ng councilor, tapos 80K na 2nd hand na sasakyan lang ang ibibigay sa kanila ng gobyerno? e di dapat hindi na lang sila nagpakahirap tumakbo sa halalan. magkano ba ginastos nila sa halalan? ambait na nga nila kasi dapat mazda cx9 na tig-2.5M ang dapat hiningi nila e. tutal may pera naman e. yun na ngang naka-budget na pambili ng kotse para sa mga pulis. aanhin ba ng mga pulis yan? mas magagamit ko ang perang yan.

di bale. pag naipasa namin ang bagong bill (eg. palitan ang pangalan ng "kalye uno" into "kalye dos") e malalaman ng mga tao na hindi naman kami tutulog tulog sa trabaho. siguro by that time, pwede na namin hingiin ang mazda cx9.

oo nga pala, kelangan mairegalo kay kumpareng sendong ang pagpapagawa ng bagong street sign ng kalye dos. baka isipin ni sendong na nakalimutan ko na siya. baka isipin niya na sobra na akong big time, kasi nga naman, councilor na, may bagong 1M na kotse pa. kelangan malaman ni sendong na kahit ganong sikat na ako, e naka-apak pa din sa lupa ang mga paa ko.

[xoom]

kumpadre naman, baka isipin nila kumpareng sendong na pipitsugin ito. aba, nanalo ata ito ng councilor, tapos 80K na 2nd hand na sasakyan lang ang ibibigay sa kanila ng gobyerno? e di dapat hindi na lang sila nagpakahirap tumakbo sa halalan. magkano ba ginastos nila sa halalan? ambait na nga nila kasi dapat mazda cx9 na tig-2.5M ang dapat hiningi nila e. tutal may pera naman e. yun na ngang naka-budget na pambili ng kotse para sa mga pulis. aanhin ba ng mga pulis yan? mas magagamit ko ang perang yan.

di bale. pag naipasa namin ang bagong bill (eg. palitan ang pangalan ng "kalye uno" into "kalye dos") e malalaman ng mga tao na hindi naman kami tutulog tulog sa trabaho. siguro by that time, pwede na namin hingiin ang mazda cx9.

oo nga pala, kelangan mairegalo kay kumpareng sendong ang pagpapagawa ng bagong street sign ng kalye dos. baka isipin ni sendong na nakalimutan ko na siya. baka isipin niya na sobra na akong big time, kasi nga naman, councilor na, may bagong 1M na kotse pa. kelangan malaman ni sendong na kahit ganong sikat na ako, e naka-apak pa din sa lupa ang mga paa ko.

+1

galing mo, doc. such a beautiful analytical mind

SMOOTH FOR PRESIDENT!!!

[Syuryuken]

kunin ang pangalan ng mga yan at ipaskil sa daan kasama yung resolution na gusto nilang ipasa para malaman ng mga mamamayan ng baguio ang kanilang ginagawa.

okinna da pay lang!

[Mguy]

Didn't they had cars before running as councilors? I betcha they had. And I though that Baguio is somewhere in the mountains up north in Luzon, why is the town mayor in Canada and US and then China, while the council was in Clark, Pampanga? Surely they may have their reasons, but geez.


SUN STAR
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Council allots P19 million for officials’ cars
By Rimaliza Opiña

WHILE some government offices are scrimping for funds to finance various projects, the Baguio City Council passed an ordinance last Monday to appropriate P19.6 million for their own car plans.

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The purchase of cars for each member of the City Council, including the vice mayor and mayor, would reportedly come from the P25,265,159 excess of the
City Government’s 2006 Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).

The car plan, along with some barangay projects, was classified as a "priority" by the City Council.

Of this amount, P15 million was allotted for vehicles of the council itself, while another amount of P4,665,159 was for that of the Office of the City
Mayor, or a total of P19,665,159. In comparison, only a meager P5.6 million was allotted for various barangay projects to be identified by the councilors.

But Vice Mayor Daniel Fariñas, who was visibly surprised when asked about the council's recent action, said the purchase of dump trucks for a more efficient garbage collection is more important than cars.

"I already have my own car. Besides, the council has two vans and one car. The mayor also does not need it," he told reporters during a press briefing on
Thursday, adding that if the ordinance is transmitted to him, he would veto the ordinance while he is still the acting mayor.

The council dispensed with the second and final reading of the ordinance introduced by Councilor Galo Weygan, chairman of the City Council committee on ethics, government affairs and personnel.

Only Councilor Antonio Tabora Jr. voted against the proposal, while Councilors Rufino Panagan and Leonardo Bayan Jr. were out of the session hall when voting took place.

With the approval of the car plan, the P10,000 monthly travel allowances issued to councilors would be cancelled, explained Councilor Elaine Sembrano. "We also need cars to visit our constituents," she added.

As to why the purchase of cars was identified as a “priority” caught everyone by surprise. At the time the ordinance was passed, Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr., who just arrived from Canada and the US, departed again for China. Fariñas, on the other hand, was on official business in Manila, leaving Councilor Rocky Thomas Balisong as temporary presiding officer of the council.

The decision was reportedly arrived at during the council's out-of-town caucus in Clark, Pampanga, and which was made formal and voted upon during their regular session last Monday.

Evelyn Trinidad, city director of the Department of the Interior and Local Governments, said projects enumerated in the city's medium-term development plan are those that are considered a priority.

"Those listed in the MTDP are assumed to contain the priority thrusts of a local government unit, and these are arrived at through consultation with various sectors," Trinidad explained.

Tabora shared the same view as he said the identification of priority projects should emanate from the executive department, which is headed by the mayor, and should only be transmitted to the City Council for approval.

He said there are councilors who really need cars, but he stressed that the mechanics of how the councilors could avail of the car plan should be defined.

"Would it be owned by the government once the official's term ends, or could they buy it, especially those who added some amount so they could buy the unit they want," Tabora said, while stressing that the planned purchase of cars has to conform to government accounting and auditing procedures.

Tabora said what the mayor requested for earlier was P1.6 million for a police car.

He also said the mayor should veto the ordinance passed by the council.

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SUN-STAR

Councilors okay car plan in good faith
By glenrose on Nov 22, 2007 in News

THE Baguio City Council was in good faith when it approved the allotment of close to P20 million to buy vehicles for themselves, the vice mayor’s and the mayor’s offices.

Councilor Galo Weygan added that the barangays were not shortchanged when they allotted P5.6 million from the P25 million surplus shares of the City Government from the 2006 Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) because aside from this appropriation, there are other sources of funds for other priority projects of the City Government.

The P71-million surplus from the 2006 budget as well as the planned P1 billion budget for 2008 are some of the sources where funds could be allotted for various projects, including the purchase of dump trucks for garbage collection.

Since last week, the City Council has been criticized by government employees as well as by ordinary citizens for allegedly being too capricious.

Weygan said the cars would be the property of the City Government. As a condition, they could no longer avail of their travel allowances and they are also obliged to shoulder gasoline and maintenance expenses.

And just like any government vehicle, its use would be limited to official functions, he said, adding that a car is a necessity for the council, especially when councilors have to travel to the barangays and in places outside Baguio.