City turns over ambulance to suspended councilor’s wife

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government formally turned over an ambulance to Sambag I Barangay Mayor’s Office (BMO) that is headed by the wife of suspended Councilor Jerry Guardo, who recently shifted to Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) camp.

BOPK-affiliated councilors Mary Ann Delos Santos, Eugenio Gabuya Jr. and Sisinio Andales together with Cebu City’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CCDRRMO) Head Nagiel Bañacia yesterday initiated the ceremonial turn over on behalf of Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

In an interview, Sambag 1 BMO Head Ailien Guardo was thankful to Osmeña for giving the emergency vehicle to the said barangay.

“For me, health is wealth.  So, ang priority nato sa barangay ang kahimtang o ang health sa katawhan at least naa nami magamit. Makarespondi na dayon sa panginhanglan ilabi na sa matang sa panglawas sa atoang barangay,” she said.

She admitted that it was the first time that the city government issued an ambulance to the barangay for how many years already.

Bañacia, in a separate interview, they will hire at least ten personnel to manage the emergency vehicle and for them to get trained on how to respond to emergency cases.

He admitted that it is an extra point that the applicant has an experience in emergency response.

The initial training to be initiated by CCDRRMO responders would take two weeks. After that, they will be trained under Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation for six months.

Aside from the emergency vehicle, the city government is expected to give a service vehicle to the BMO.

At present, the BMO has four personnel, including Ailien.

The ambulance is temporarily parked in the vacant space in front of Ailien’s refilling station.

After getting appointed as BMO head in Sambag I, Ailien said her priority is to deliver basic services to the constituents.

“Actually daghan ta og gitan-aw.  Mapalapdan ilabi na sa dalan. Road concreting makita nato.  Visible kaayo nga daghan na kaayong lungag-lungag ang atoang kadalanan unya kining  mga suga pud sa mga poste,” she said.

In fact, she already drafted a request letter to be sent to Osmeña to work on with the visible problem in the barangay.

After shifting allegiance, Jerry said it is now easy for him to deliver basic services to the constituents knowing that the present administration has its support.

While under the suspension, he said he keeps on studying the pending projects of the city that needs to be implemented for the welfare of the public.

“I’m enjoying my suspension but anyway three months rani siya. In fact, just yesterday didto kog Manila.  I’m talking to possible investors who wanted to invest diri sa Cebu,” he added.

Jerry is also meeting up with Office of the Building Official Head Engineer Josefa Ylanan to identify what are the pending projects, the budget it has and how the city can fast track its implementation. (FREEMAN)