PB to verify funding for tourist buses

The Provincial Board (PB) will verify where the funding was taken for the tourist buses distributed last Sunday to Asturias town located 71 kms southwest of Cebu City.

Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said they will have to check if the funding was taken from the Capitol’s e-Gwen program.

Last Sunday at the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVRAA) opening salvo, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia distributed 26 tourist buses to top-performing local government units (LGUs) under the Expanded-Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures (E-Gwen) program.

The top 10 e-Gwen performers included Medellin, Barili, San Francisco, Tabuelan, Liloan, Oslob, Carcar City, Danao City, Alegria and Argao.

Other recipients of the tourist buses were Talisay and Naga Cities and Sibonga town in the first district; Dumanjug, Alcantara, Moalboal, Malabuyoc, Boljoon, Alcoy and Dalaguete in the second district; Toledo City and Asturias in the third district; and San Remigio, Daanbantayan, Bantayan and Madridejos in the fourth district.

Last June, Gov. Garcia signed a P67-million contract with Conequip Philippines for the procurement of the tourist buses. The 35-seater tourist bus is worth P2.6 million each.

Bids and Awards Committee Chair for goods and supplies, Marivic Garces said the coasters undergone bidding.

A representative from the legal and provincial engineering offices went to China to check the the buses last June.

Last year, Garcia said the Capitol will give coasters to each town once they have their tourism packages. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus