Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia questions the need for an additional P74 million for the purchase of benches for the grandstand during a press conference on May 23. | CDN Digital/ Pia Piquero
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia questioned the need for an additional P74 million to buy benches for the grandstand for the Palarong Pambansa 2024, scheduled this July.
Garcia said he would review this expense, noting that the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) grandstand can already accommodate about 12,000 people.
“I want to know ‘ngano man?’ nga makalingkod naman ang 10,000 to 12,000 [ka tawo] ang grandstand. Mangayo pa gyud ta og additional? Ngano man?” Garcia expressed.
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During the press conference on May 23, the acting mayor addressed several concerns, including the results of the three-day investigation into the procurement related to Palaro and the additional P74 million requested by the city project engineers for the grandstand.
He also clarified that, unlike the portable toilets and showers, which have a rental budget of P18 million, the benches for the grandstand requested by the city project engineers will be purchased, not rented.
“I will wait for the council to deliberate on the matter kung ila ba gyud ng ipadayon o dili, maghuwat lang usa ko ana,” Garcia said.
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On May 22, City Councilor Noel Wenceslao, the committee chairman, called the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) for an executive session to question the request for an additional P74 million for the benches, which is proposed to be charged to the Pagcor funds.
Wenceslao stated that P200 million had already been appropriated last February. He recalled that during the budget hearing, the P200 million was allocated for lighting facilities, labor, and renovation of the grandstand.
“We already provided 200 million for the bleachers, labor, lighting facilities. Ngano kinahanglan paman ta og additional 74 million?” Wenceslao asked during the executive session.
Acting assistant city engineer Miralex Toribio, however, responded that while the P200 million has been appropriated for the renovation of the grandstand, while the benches or bleachers were not included.
Meanwhile, the discussion was not concluded during the executive session. Acting Vice Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros suggested continuing it in another venue. /clorenciana