Trash shredders also overpriced

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu provincial government said it will no longer spend any more money on the trash shredders distributed to 19 local government units. Aside from being useless, they also found out that the shredders were overpriced.

Last July 12, it was reported that 19 shredders costing P468,888 per unit, purchased by the Environmental Management Services Division of the Provincial Environment and Natural Services Office (PENRO), were discovered to be useless.

This was because the shredders require a three-phase electric power system, while the province follows a two-wire or single-phase electric power system. An estimated P1.2 million is needed for the construction of transformers required for the shredders to work.

Upon the discovery that the shredders could not be used, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia gave former PENRO officer-in-charge Jason Lozano 24 hours to come up with a solution.

Since then, a proposal has been made by PENRO to convert these shredding machines from three-phase machines to gasoline-fueled machines. However, before they could start canvassing for the cost of the conversion, Governor Garcia made it clear that no more of the provincial government's money will go into spending for the shredders.

"First of all, duna na mi canvass gi-conduct. We are finding out nga ang actual price among mga shredders is about P200,000 lower. Second of all, I am not going to spend more on an already overpriced equipment which the supplier readily supplied the provincial government in bad faith," she declared.

Bernard Calderon, Provincial General Services Office officer-in-charge, said that based on a quotation submitted to the Capitol, an all-purpose gasoline-fueled shredder costs around P250,000.

Calderon added that this disparity will be subject to an investigation by the PGSO.

The shredders were intended for the solid waste management programs of the LGUs of Bogo City, Asturias, Bantayan, Ronda, Boljoon, Borbon, Cordova, Ginatilan, Madridejos, Pilar, Pinamungajan, Poro, San Francisco, San Remigio, Sta. Fe, Sogod, Tabuelan, Alegria, and Tudela. (FREEMAN)