GENERAL SANTOS CITY--The provincial government of South Cotabato turned over 15 more service and patrol vehicles worth PHP5.9 million to selected barangays in the province on Monday.
Jerry Gamo, chief of the South Cotabato Barangay Affairs Unit, said the additional barangay service vehicles were the second batch of the 42 units that were approved for acquisition this year by the provincial government.
Gamo said the vehicles consisted of 11 units of two-wheel drive and four units of four-wheel drive cargo truck-type vehicles.
The recipients were Barangays Ned, Takunel, Tasiman, and Lamcade in Lake Sebu; Teresita, M. Roxas, Panay, and Katipunan in Sto. Nino; Dumaguil and Puti of Norala; Lamba, Rang-ay, and San Vicente in Banga; Lapu in Polomolok; and San Isidro in Tampakan.
Gamo said the vehicles were acquired under the Provincial Peace and Order Council fund.
“They have an estimated lifespan of at least six years if maintained properly,” he said.
South Cotabato Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes pushed for the purchase of the service vehicles to replace the old units distributed several years ago to the barangays, he said.
Records showed that about half of the province’s 199 barangays have yet to receive new vehicles.
Gamo said the governor has ordered the fast-tracking of the purchases to cover all 199 barangays by next year.
In March, the provincial government distributed the first batch of 16 service vehicles to selected barangays. (PNA)
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