| By MONTESA GRIÑO-CAOYONAN |

Did Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog waste the 10 units of electronic jeepneys donated to the city government by businessman Rommel Ynion for the benefit of the students and the elderly?

Earlier, reports said Ynion is pulling out his donations after the city government failed to utilize them for their intended purposes.

In a letter dated January 12, 2012, Ynion hit Mabilog and said “It is sad to say that the units have not been properly utilized for their intended purpose.”

It was learned that Ynion had a verbal agreement with Mabilog that the vehicles would be used to transport students and senior citizens within the city for free.

But Ynion noted that for the past months, only two to three of the units have been operating on some routes and ‘their services could hardly be felt or noticed by the public.”

Ynion said that perhaps the city government does not have qualified personnel to operate the units or the city might lack the necessary resources for their maintenance.

“In view hereof, please issue a clearance / permit to my authorized representative, Mr. Larry Jamora, for and in my behalf, to get the units from the city’s garage anytime,” Ynion wrote Mabilog.

Meanwhile, in an interview, Mabilog said he is willing to return the said e-jeeps to Ynion despite its being environment-friendly and useful to students and senior citizens.

“The units are very effective,” said Mabilog. “However, if the person who donated them will ask the city government to return those units, we have no choice but to return them,” he said in response to reports that Ynion is pulling out the e-jeeps but said he has not received the copy of that letter yet.

Mabilog said after the donation last March 2011, the city used it until December 2011 only. Mabilog said that since there are no deeds of donation that would support the agreement between the city government and the donor, the city government could not officially register the units to the Land Transportation Office.

Mabilog said they already sent communication to Ynion asking for the official receipt and certificate of registration of the e-jeeps to facilitate the legalities of the donation. However, the mayor said that while waiting for Ynion’s response, they suspended the operation of e-jeeps upon the request of the City Legal Office for security purposes.

Mabilog said the city government doesn’t want to take a risk because the units are not yet registered. He also noted that they cannot insure the e-jeeps due to the lacking requirements.

“The city government is responsible to any incident if we will insist the operation of these units,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mabilog said he is willing to purchase four units of e-jeeps this year if the donations will be taken back.

He said the e-jeeps, which are kept at the City Engineer’s Motorpool in Delgado St., are all in good condition and well-maintained.*