Gov’t car used for personal purpose: Mike wants GSO to look into reports

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Michael Rama will be asking the General Services Office (GSO) to look into reports that one of the Toyota Hilux issued to different barangays was being used for personal purposes.

City Hall received reports that a Toyota Hilux with plate number SKV 526 has been used to ferry a child to a school in Barangay Talamban.

The FREEMAN is withholding the name of the barangay captain to whom the vehicle was issued pending statement from the official.

The vehicle is among the 80 brand new units of pickup that City Hall purchased last year and distributed to different barangays.

The FREEMAN also reported last year that some City Hall and barangay officials use their government-issued vehicles to ferry their children to schools in the morning and to fetch them in the afternoon.

GSO head Rolando Ardoza said to promote efficiency and further improve public service without compromising transparency and accountability, those who have been issued with city-owned vehicles are reminded to always comply with the existing policies in the granting of fuel.

Ardoza said fuel shall not be granted to any vehicle at the City Hall depot if  it does not bear the city government seal.

It must have the mark “For Official Use Only” and a government-issued red plate.

Those issued with city-owned vehicles must first secure Requisition Issue Slip (RIS) from GSO and give it to the personnel manning the City Hall fuel depot.

A fuel card will then be issued to the end user in lieu of the old practice that the duplicate copy of the RIS shall be kept only by the user.  Ardoza explained that the purpose is for them to keep track of their fuel supply balance.

Ardoza said the end users are allowed only to refuel the vehicles during office hours.

The City Council only approved P88.9 million budget for fuel of the over 1,222 vehicles of the city and barangays. —/MBG (FREEMAN)