DPS chief Rolando Ardosa gives a rundown of his department’s budget to the Cebu City Council.
(CDN Photo/Junjie Mendoza)
Cebu City Hall’s Department of Public Services (DPS) is asking for a bigger budget next year to buy garbage trucks and vehicles for street cleaning.
DPS chief Rolando Ardosa told the City Council in yesterday’s budget hearing that his office needs P235.9 million to buy vehicles.
The P732 million budget request for next year is more than double the 267 million budget of last year’s.
Ardosa said P26.3 million will be used to buy vehicles and equipment for street cleaning and P209.6 million for garbage collection and disposal.
“Our barangays also have resources. Almost all barangays are asking for trucks. We can’t be everything for everybody, we should coordinate. It’s overwhelming. Sana we can buy these all,” Councilor Margot Osmeña said.
The DPS got zero allocation for motor vehicles in this year’s budget.
Ardosa said their “wish list” includes a P10 million inductor truck which can suction portable toilets (portalets), a P12 million street sweeper machine and an L300 van worth P900,000.
They also proposed the purchase of 50 more portalets at P70,000 each or P3.5 million.
“We used to have 100 portalets but some were damaged. Right now, we only have 75,” Ardosa said.
For garbage collection and disposal, DPS asked for 27 brand new compactor trucks worth P202 million at P7.5 million each.
Transfer station
Other requested vehicles include 10 motorcycles to monitor uncollected garbage, two L300 vans at P1.8 million and one six-wheeler truck at P5 million.
Ardosa also requested the replacement of busted streetlights worth P800,000.
For garbage disposal services, the DPS proposed P115 million for next year.
Ardosa said it covers the tipping fee of P700 per ton at an average of 45 tons a day for next year.
“We are serious that by next year, we won’t be using the (Inayawan Sanitary) landfill anymore. Currently, it’s being used as a transfer station,” Ardosa told the council.
Ardosa said the DPS proposed P200 million for electrical materials for street lighting program from the approved budget this year which was only P15 million.
Ration
Ardosa said DPS wants to upgrade existing street lights to LED lights at P100 million. “Other cities like Manila, Quezon, Davao are already using LED lights,” he said.
Ardosa asked P11.3 million to buy a brand new ten-wheeler tanker engine to ration water in areas with no access to water. “Buying all these will improve delivery of basic services like garbage disposal and other services,” Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos said.