DPS to use PAGCOR funds for July’s trash collection

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Department of Public Services (DPS) will use the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) funds amounting to P28.9 million for the hauling operation of the city’s trash next month.

This, after the recent contract with Pasajero Motors Corporation (Pamocor) is expected to end by the first week of July.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña approved the request of DPS Head Roberto “Bob” Cabarrubias dated June 21, detailing their intent to use PAGCOR funds for the hauling operation for July, considering that their department has no funds for the hauling operation starting next week.

In an interview, DPS Assistant Head John Paul Gelasque said there would be a big possibility that the P28.9 million will be through an emergency procurement, and not by public bidding.

He explained that in an emergency procurement, the process of canvassing would take just a few days compared to public bidding that would take about two to three weeks.

If Executive Assistant to the Mayor Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez agrees to his suggestion that it will be through an emergency procurement, the possible participating service providers would still Pamocor and Jomara Konstruckt Incorporated, previous private hauler of the city.

Gelasque said the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) will choose the service provider that would offer the least tipping fee per ton of garbage.

However, in a separate interview, Osmeña told The FREEMAN that he doesn’t know yet if it will be an emergency procurement or a public bidding.  He said he will be able to decide by Tuesday after consulting with those who has knowledge of the appropriate procedure to take.

“I don’t know yet, no (emergency procurement).  PAGCOR requires council approval, but it is not a short cut like an emergency procurement,” he added.

The DPS’s proposal to use PAGCOR funds will be presented before the city council for further approval during their session tomorrow.

Under the new released PAGCOR guidelines dated April 2017, using funds for hauling operation is allowable.

“Other projects designed to prevent widespread diseases of epidemics such as mass vaccination, declogging of and collection of garbage and debris in sewers and canals, construction of sanitary facilities in depressed areas, and the like,” PAGCOR guidelines read.

DPS’s last resort was to use the PAGCOR funds while waiting for the approval of their proposed supplemental budget for miscellaneous for garbage collection services which is more than P120 million.

The first reading of the proposed supplemental budget is expected to be done by July 11, and its final deliberation would be on July 18.

Once it is approved, it will undergo the usual public bidding procedure.  The proposed supplemental budget is for the remaining five months of the year.

The DPS had an approved budget of P121 million for garbage collection this year.  However, only about P4 million is left in their budget.

About P25 million was used for January, while P75 million was allotted for February, March and April.

Other expenses include the P12 million for some of the days in April until May 16, and P5 million for the salary of their job order employees.

With the shortage of funds, they even realigned the budget of rental for heavy equipment to garbage collection worth P40 million for this month.

DPS earlier explained that the reason behind the shortage of their budget this year was due to the unexpected order of the Court of Appeals shutting down the controversial landfill in Barangay Inayawan.

The DPS also noted the increase in the volume of garbage collected everyday due to the “Basura Mo, Sardinas Ko” project of Osmeña which generated 650 tons of trash per day, from the usual 500 tons.

Meanwhile, Pamocor had already cleared up the piled 8,000 tons of garbage at the transfer station of EVO Enviro Solutions last Friday.

This was after DPS directed them to cope with the hauling operation. With this, the hauling operation is now back to normal.

On June 6, Pamocor started their hauling operation after BAC issued notice to proceed after being declared as winning bidder. —/GAN (FREEMAN)