• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya said that they issued a 24-hour show cause order to four individuals assigned to the supplies and property section of the City Engineer’s Office (CEO), regarding the discovery of more than 4,700 bags of cement that had gone to waste in the warehouse.
In a press conference, Gasataya stated that the city government will overhaul the supply section of the department, as its head, Supply Officer Alex Apoyon and three other regular employees were relieved from their post effective yesterday.
He said that he is also expecting answers from the CEO on the issues of unfinished projects dating earlier than 2022, and reports on why it is happening.
“I also instructed the city engineer’s office to submit within 24 hours the status of all the projects implemented by the city through admin,” Gasataya said and explained that ‘through admin’ means the city is the one financing the projects, including spending for materials, and labor contracts, while the CEO supervised.
Meanwhile, a disposal committee will be convened by the city to study and find legal ways in disposing of the hardened sacks of cement and check whether the construction materials can still be used.
The mayor added that they are also looking for a warehouse that the city can momentarily rent for actual inventory, where they can also store and separate usable and non-usable cement.
“We will also issue reassignment orders and put regular employees of the city henceforth to know the new purchases of the city,” Gasataya added.
According to Gasataya, all aspects of the investigations will be submitted to the City Legal Office.*
