THE City Council of Cebu approved last Wednesday a resolution filed by Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias making it a policy not to release fuel allocation to city vehicles that do not have ‘for official use only’ markings.
Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos told Cabarrubias during the deliberation that the resolution may not be necessary as there is already a policy requiring City Hall vehicles to have those markings.
“This is already a policy but is not being (actually) practiced,” was Cabarrubias’ reply.
Cabarrubias said the marking requirement should apply to all city government vehicles whether these are bought or donated vehicles. Vehicles assigned to the barangay, the Philippine National Police and other government agencies are not exempted from the policy.
Cabarrubias said the marking is necessary to prevent the abuse and misuse of the government property.
Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said however that the policy has exemptions. City vehicles assigned for ‘confidential use’ said Labella can secure exemption from the policy from the Office of the President.
Councilor Gerardo Carillo said that regulating the use of all city-owned vehicles could be made easier if the city government owns a big garage where they could park vehicles at night time “so we can surrender issued vehicles after office hours.”
He said it is not wise to just park city issued vehicles at the parking area near Plaza Sugbu because the place is open to elements. Because of this, those issued vehicles bring their vehicles home.
Mayor Michael Rama said the City Hall block at the SRP, where city government structures are being built, may be used as parking area for government vehicles.
But Rama does not subscribe to Carillo’s proposal to surrender city vehicles at the parking area at night time because this was not safe.
“Ka usa ra na butangan ug bomba. Hurot na [A bomb can be planted, and they will all be gone],” he said.
Rama said that it is more practical to allow city officials and department heads to bring home their assigned vehicles, except for heavy equipment and garbage trucks, so that they will have something to use in case of an emergency.
“Sometimes we have so much mistrust. And when emergencies happen, we are left without mobility,” he said.