Rama Donates Fire Truck to Brgy Punta Princesa

Days after Mayor Michael Rama was reelected as chief executive officer of the Queen City of the South, he immediately donated a mini-fire truck to Barangay Punta Princesa hoping that said fire fighting equipment can help prevent fire incidents in that thickly-populated area.

Punta Princesa Barangay Captain Jose Navarro was very happy when he received the P700,000-worth fire truck that was purchased by the city through the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of then Cebu City South District Rep. Antonio Cuenco.

It was not known why the fire truck was purchased only in the last year of Rama’s first term as mayor when in fact it was already allocated during Cuenco’s stint as south district legislator.

According to Navarro, he previously believed that his request, which was made during Cuenco’s stint as congressman, was not approved until City Councilor Jose Daluz III informed him that such request for a fire truck was still there.

“Nagtoo ko nga wala na kini nga project apan nalipay ko nga na-aprobahan g’yud diay, mao nga akong gi-follow up.” said Navarro, one of Rama’s allies in the south district barangays.

Navarro said the fire truck will be of great help for the barangay and in other adjacent barangays of Punta Princesa in case of fire incidents.

A few weeks ago, the mayor also announced that the Cebu City government will acquire a second hand fire truck to be donated by the officials of Yeosu City in Korea to show their commitment to help the city of its need to have more fire fighting equipment.

The donation of fire truck by Yeosu City Mayor Kim Chung-seog will not only strengthen the friendship of the two “sister cities” but will also improve the fire fighting capabilities of our firemen.

Based on the documents, it showed that the 10-ton fire truck was purchased by Yeosu City government in 1996 and because the city is buying new fire trucks, its officials have decided to give one of them to Cebu City.

Yeosu City is one of several foreign cities that have “sister city relationship” with Cebu City, like the City of Kaoshiung, Taiwan and Yokohama in Japan that donated several of their second-hand buses to Cebu City.