THE members of the Cebu City Council are asking the officials of the mountain barangay of Malubog to justify their request for a second ambulance after they already received from the city government five vehicles including a Hyundai ambulance.
Councilor Margot Osmeña, budget committee chairperson, is asking Malubog barangay captain Federico Bontilao to furnish her committee with a monthly data on the number of emergency cases they respond to justify his request.
Until the needed data would be available, the council agreed to temporarily defer action on Bontilao’s request, which councilor Edgar Labella introduced to the city council through a draft resolution.
Bontilao, a Rama supporter, wrote the mayor on July 3, 2012 to request for another ambulance which would augment his barangay’s disaster preparedness program. Attached to his letter was a quotation from Foton for proposed ambulance estimated to cost at least P1 million.
In his letter, Bontilao said that the needed ambulance will address the emergency needs of his constituents and those from the neighboring mountain barangays of Sirao, Babag and Pung-ol Sibugay among others.
With Rama’s approval, Labella presented to the council a resolution which recommended the charging of the proposed ambulance purchase to the city’s share of Pagcor funds. Labella’s resolution was referred to Osmena’s budget committee for review.
Osmeña rendered her committee report on the matter during the council’s Wednesday morning session.
osmeña report
In her report, Osmeña said that while her committee do not oppose Bontilao’s request for an ambulance, it was also important to note that his barangay already received five brand new vehicles from City Hall last year. This included a Hyundai ambulance, Isuzu mini-bus, Hyundai Mobile Transporter, Isuzu Elf garbage truck and a Mitsubishi Fuzion.
Quoting data from the National Statistics Office, Osmeña’s report said that Malubog only has a land area of 5,062 square km and a population of only 2,441 people.
Bontilao has to first convince the council his barangay’s need for a new ambulance before the council should act on his request, said Osmeña’s report./Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac