Tommy seeks answers as TV sets bought for Palaro found soaked in floodwaters

Local

BRAND-new TVs were bought, left unused, and ended up soaked in floodwaters. And now, Cebu City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña wants answers.

A total of 16 Skyworth Eye Care 55-inch television sets were reportedly submerged in floodwaters while stored on the lower ground floor of an annex building of the Department of Education (DepEd) Cebu City.

The incident happened during the severe flooding on July 16, triggered by the southwest monsoon (habagat) enhanced by Severe Tropical Storm Crising.

Imus Avenue and the surrounding areas experienced knee-deep floodwaters that day, and the DepEd building wasn’t spared.

“Sa Local School Board ni nga mga TV, sobra sa Palaro ihatag sa DepEd Cebu City. Unya na timing nga nag bagyo last week mao to na grabehan kay nisaka ang tubig,” said former councilor and current city education consultant Joy Augustus Young on Friday, July 25.

“Didto sa bodega kay dili man mag baha didto, unya kay first time nag baha tungod sa kakusog nisulod ang tubig. Maayo gane nabantayan, unya nakit-an nila ang mga TV nga nabasa na so ilang gihakot sa third floor. So nabasa usa ka dangaw — if wala pa nabantayan, basa na gyud tanan kay abot gud patuhod ang tubig didto,” he said.

Young said the units were part of the equipment bought for the 2024 Palarong Pambansa, but were not used and ended up as excess stock.

“Supposedly sa Palaro na ang mga TVs, sobra na siya. Wala na sila magamit, brand new na sila. Diba pag Palaro daghan kaayo ug TV, unya naa pa gyud sobra 16? That’s brand new. Apil na sila sa [budget] sa Palaro. Nabarog nalang ang mga TV sa Palaro, naa gihapon sobra 16. Giunsa na nila pagpalit? And I’m sure these are overpriced. Pusta ko,” he said.

For Osmeña, the incident is more than just “overlooked.”

“In life, everything is overlooked, and when the problem comes up, you adjust to it. We always overlook everyday. Nothing is perfect. That’s my attitude. But in the case of the flooded TV — that to me is graft, that’s bastos,” he said.

“Why do they buy so many TV sets, and they don’t know what they would do with them? Kay humana man ang kickback, and you just put it there and get flooded. Ay sorry. I get angry over some of the things.”

“And that’s why Dondon Hontiveros sets out to explain. Why did you buy the TV sets? Why did you buy all these stupid things? Even the repairs of the oval — until now, it’s not finished,” Osmeña added.

Former Vice Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros was a member of the executive committee for the Palarong Pambansa 2024.

Cebu City earlier hosted the 2024 Palarong Pambansa in July. It allocated a total budget of P405 million for it.

However, former Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia slashed P143 million from the original amount to prioritize essential spending, leaving only P262 million.(TGP)