Councilor Osmeña: We Already Approved P20.5M for ‘Walking Excavator’

Cebu City Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña is wondering why the administration of Mayor Michael Rama still failed to acquire the multi-functional “walking excavator” that can be used to clean-up rivers and creeks to prevent floods, despite the fact that the City Council had already approved the P20.5 million for its cost.

Osmeña, head of the City Council’s Committee on Budget and Finance, recalled that in one of their sessions almost two years ago, the supplier of the spider-like heavy equipment had conducted a video presentation before the city legislators to show to them on how the walking excavator works.

P20.5 million-worth Equipment

The P20.5 million-worth “walking excavator” that the city government wants to buy will be used for dredging and some other works because the spider-like heavy equipment is specifically designed for difficult applications. The equipment can be used in clearing operations of buildings and can also carry heavy objects.

Aside from its wheels, the walking excavator, which looks like a real spider, has some “feet” that can climb even on slopes to clear an earthquake-affected area.

Mayor Rama said he did not know the reason on why the purchase of the walking excavator did not push through, which prompted him to ask Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias to investigate.

Delayed Documentation

Cabarrubias, head the City Council’s Committee on Infrastructure, assured that he will look into the matter Monday.

In a phone interview yesterday, Cabarrubias said he believed that the documentation is delayed at the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).

Even Councilor Noel Eleuterio Wenceslao, vice chairman of the committee on budget and finance, also wondered over the delay.

Cabarrubias and Wenceslao together with Councilors Gerardo Carillo and Richard Osmeña bolted from Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan (BOPK) and formed themselves as the independent bloc in the City Council.

Osmeña explained that the City Council cannot be blamed on the flooding that the city had experienced last week.

She said that aside from approving the request to purchase the walking excavator, the city legislators had also approved the allocation of close to P500 million for anti-flood projects, particularly at the Mahiga Creek.

Several low lying areas in the city usually experience flooding whenever there is a heavy downpour because the rivers and creeks are already silted and needs massive dredging to restore the old width of the waterways.

Realigned

But according to Councilor Osmeña, instead of spending the funds on its purpose, the mayor realigned the P300 million for the construction of a new building for the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) after the old hospital building was demolished after it was damaged by last year’s Magnitude 6.7 earthquake.

“Asa may palabihon nato ang kinabuhi sa mga tawo o ang baha,” Rama earlier reacted to his critics.

“Mao na nga dili g’yud kami nga mga konsehal maoy angay’ng basulon kon maglunop dinhi sa siyudad kay gi-approve namo sa City Council ang anti-flood projects sa mayor apan wala niya gamita,” Wenceslao said.