News Briefs
Hotline for building permit applicants
APPLICANTS for building permits no longer have to crowd the Office of the Building Officials (OBO) at Cebu City hall.
OBO launched yesterday a hotline which applicants may use in inquiring about the requirements and status of their applications.
Engr. Florante Catalan, asst. OBO chief, said the OBO hotline was in addition to the computerization of their recording system.
“Next year we will already proceed with the electrical permit application, and then the mechanical and demolition permits,” he said.
Inquiries on the status of business permit applications may be sent to 0917-3147941.
For status update type: OBO <space> STATUS <space> <Application No.>. For inquiries on fees to be paid type: OBO <space> FEE <space> <Application No.>. Replies will later be sent to the sender.
Catalan said OBO started the computerization of their recording system on October 2010.
Under the new system, transactions made starting on November 2010 can already be access through their online recording system.
But this system was only limited for use at the OBO office.
Yesterday, OBO also launched their text hotline to further simply transactions in their office.
She said their computerization system and text hotline helps discourage corruption in their office.
This discourages permit applicants from paying OBO personnel or other people to make follow ups of their applications on their behalf.
“The purpose of the system is to make them (OBO personnel) focus on their work and not on their sideline,” Antonio said. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac
Explain garbage disposal budget, dept told
The Cebu City Council yesterday asked the Department of Public Services (DPS) to account for the city’s actual expenses on its garbage collection system.
Councilor Margot Osmeña, who chairs the budget committee, said they want to know how much the city spends to maintain its garbage trucks and the Inayawan landfill as well as operate its Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF).
She also said they want to know how much the city is leasing for heavy equipment used to transfer garbage from the landfill to a private facility located in Consolacion town.
Osmeña said the P31 million appropriation for garbage collection and disposal in the 2012 budget already reached P49 million as of November 2012 because of some funding augmentation.
DPS head Dionisio Gualiza told the council yesterday that the city spends at least P150 million for the salary of garbage collectors and landfill personnel and the maintenance of garbage trucks among others.
Councilor Augustus Pe Jr. asked Gualiza to furnish the council with the actual breakdown of the city’s garbage expenses. Gualiza said the city now collects 250 tons of garbage daily.
Gualiza proposed a P100 million appropriation for garbage collection and disposal next year or P69 million more than this year’s P31 million appropriation.
Some of the amount will pay for tipping fees for the city’s garbage to be dumped into the private landfill in Consolacion town.
Osmeña said records showed that P19 million of the P31 million appropriation for garbage collection and disposal remained unobligated as of November 30.
“And you are asking P100 million (for the same purpose) next year?” she added.
Councilor Sisinio Andales questioned the P19 million appropriation for landfill supplies and materials when the landfill have already been declared closed.
Gualiza said the P19 million appropriation being asked in the 2013 budget is for the purchase of filling materials and deodorizers and other supplies for the landfill’s maintenance.
For his part, Mayor Michael said he supports the council’s plan to study the viability of privatizing the city’s garbage collection system.
But Rama said he wanted to know how privatization will affect garbage rates in the city and what will happen to the garbage loaders. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac
