CH official: No more China-made trucks

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City’s Department of General Services is recommending that the city government stops buying China-made trucks due to durability issue.

Acting DGS chief Ronaldo Malacora, who also sits as chairman of the bids and awards committee, said he will instead recommend to Mayor Tomas Osmeña to focus on rehabilitating the old but branded vehicles owned by the city.

 “Mas preferable ang branded ones, safe and better performance. Maintenance wise and truck parts are easily available sa branded. Ang China-made, lisud,” Malacora told reporters.

Malacora said that a China-made truck is cheaper compared to the branded. It can be bought at P3 million while a branded truck is about P8 million to P10 million. But, it is more durable.

He said he will discuss his recommendation with the mayor as soon as possible.

Recently his office has rehabilitated two dump trucks bought during the first term of Osmeña in 1990s. Malacora said the two dump trucks are now deployed at the mountain barangays for the clearing of the roads that were affected during the rainy season, among others.

“With the number of trucks, we have no plans to procure yet. We will focus on rehabilitation,” he said.

Malacora said the city has also rehabilitated one prime mover bought in 1995.

He said the city has dispensed over P200,000 for the total rehabilitation of the trucks.

“It’s really better and more durable. Hino brand. We have eight trucks nga napalit in 1995,” he said.

After the rehabilitation of the trucks, he said it works better than the brand new China-made trucks. He said the previous administration has bought more than 30 trucks, but did not disclose how many of these were China-made. Malacora said the city has started rehabilitating last June 2016  (FREEMAN)