City distributes police cars, land titles

Mayor Michael Rama tests drive one of the 13 new police cars during the turnover ceremony at the Plaza Sugbu. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

The Cebu City government turned over 10 Toyota Fortuner and 10 Mitsubishi Adventure vehicles to the different police stations in the city last Monday at the Plaza Sugbu.

The recipients of the new vehicles were the Cebu City Police Office, Mobile Patrol Group and the police stations of Carbon, Mabolo, Talamban, San Nicolas, Guadalupe, Punta Princesa, Waterfront, Mambaling and Fuente.

“They deserve it. Our police deserve the best. It’s only the council that keeps on stalling what belongs to the police,” said Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.

Rama clarified that the distribution of vehicles to police stations is a project under the Peace and Order Program (POP) of Cebu City Hall.

On the timing of distribution of new police cars with only one week before the election day, Rama said, “I did not ask delivery before or after the election. I just learned that it arrived already.”

Rama said the cars were ordered last year using the 2015 budget of POP, but the project only materialized this year.

“Peace and order is a very important ingredient in a highly urbanized city . . . Now, with this, I am challenging the police to do their jobs so that the opponents will not look at them as incompetent,” he said.

Rama, POP head Dave Tumulak, and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella handed over the ceremonial key to the cars to Supt. Artemio Ricabo, deputy director for administration of the CCPO, and Engr. Eugene Elizalde, chairman of the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council.

The city government also distributed 22 land titles to the third batch of beneficiaries from Barangays Duljo-Fatima and Tinago under Republic Act (RA) 10023 or the Residential Free Patent law and as part of the “Land for the Landless” program.

According to RA 10023, residents living in public lands for at least 10 years can own it. Public lands are those which are not owned by private individuals or the government.

Luisa Tapere, 63, said that the acquisition of an original certificate of title was a “long process.” She has lived in Barangay Tinago since birth and applied for the original certificate of title in 2012.

Meanwhile, Maria Luisa Butalid from Barangay Duljo-Fatima said that her happiness after receiving the title was “incomparable” because she has been waiting long for it.

Butalid, 61, has lived in Duljo-Fatima since 1980.

“Ug wa si Mayor Rama ug si Kap, wa miy titulo (If it weren’t for Mayor Rama and our barangay captain, we wouldn’t have our land titles),” she said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) and Office of the Building Official announced their first ever Engineering Week that opened yesterday until tomorrow.

DEPW head Jose Marie Poblete said the series of activities for Engineering Week are intended to “highlight the office” and partnership with their stakeholders, especially contractors and suppliers.

Poblete said the opening day of the Engineering Week showcased DEPW’s services and construction show.