3 Iloilo City councilors reject brand-new pickup trucks

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo,, Philippines — Three of the 13 councilors of this city have declined or returned a brand new pickup truck provided to each one of them by the city government amid an uproar from many Ilonggos reeling for more than a year from economic difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Councilors Candice Magdalene Tupas, Mandrei Malabor and Eduardo Peñaredondo have refused to accept a Mitsubishi Strada pickup truck costing more than P1 million each.

“I personally think that the budget for it can be used for more health programs that are much needed at this time,” Tupas said in a statement.

Tupas said she had her own personal vehicle that she used for her work.

She said the vehicle could also be used by other departments of the city government.

Malabor said he “chose to waive my privilege to use the vehicle for my office” and requested Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas to assign the vehicle to the city’s social welfare and development office.

Peñaredondo returned the vehicle assigned to his office, saying it should be given to the city engineer’s office.

For office use

Among those who have publicly said they accepted the vehicle for their office were Councilors Lyndon Acap, Romel Duron, Ely Estante, Rudolph Ganzon, Carlos Javellana and Alan Zaldivar.

They said the vehicles were not assigned for their personal use but for their office and for official functions.

“This government-issued utility vehicle will be a big help in fast-tracking the implementation of my office programs that are intended for the Ilonggo people. I give assurance that the vehicle will be solely used by my office for government functions and not for personal or family use,” Ganzon said in a statement.

Treñas has also insisted that the vehicles were not for the city councilors but for their respective offices.

He said this was similar to vehicles provided to various offices and departments of the city government.

The P14.4 million used to purchase the vehicles was part of last year’s capital outlay under the mayor’s office.

The procurement process started early this year and notice to proceed was issued on March 29, according to Joren Sartorio, chief of the city government’s general services office.

Insensitive

But many Ilonggos have taken to social media to decry the purchase of the vehicles for the use of city councilors.

Many pointed out the impropriety of buying expensive vehicles, adding it was insensitive when many residents lost their jobs or source of income due to the pandemic.

They said the public funds used for the purchase of the vehicles could have been used to purchase more vaccines or food assistance for those affected by the pandemic.

The city government has earlier allotted P200 million for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines and aims to inoculate around 300,000 residents and 100,000 nonresidents working in the city.