The Bacolod City government spent only P9.9 million out of the 25.5 million total allocation for fuel expenses in 2024, mainly due to the MABB Cab initiative, an official said recently.
“This is taxpayers’ money, so they have the right to know about these matters,” Internal Audit Services Department head II Ray Agpangan said, adding that fuel expenses for 2023 amounted to P16.3 million.
With significant savings on fuel, the Bacolod local government not only demonstrates its commitment to responsible budgeting and transparency, but also ensures that the funds will be carefully managed by the City Budget Office for future projects for the continued progress of the city.
The MABB (Mayor Albee Bantug Benitez) Cab initiative, launched in 2023, is a mobile application similar to any ride-hailing app, where any government office that needs transportation assistance can book a ride for their field work or assignment.
“We have pooled the vehicles of the offices for this program. Employees must not think that their office service vehicle has been taken away. It’s the opposite, what will happen is you will have additional vehicles. All those who have official business will be provided with vehicles,” Mayor Alfredo Benitez had said during the program’s soft launch.
Since not all vehicles transport personnel on official business daily, a vehicle not in use can be booked by other offices when needed, the city said.
The MABB Cab was patterned after the Negros Occidental provincial government’s Capitol Cab, a ride-hailing service with a digital booking application that handles the travel demands of provincial government employees on official business.
Benitez, meanwhile, also implemented a stricter policy on fuel usage with the introduction of fleet cards in 2024, designed to prevent unauthorized fuel transactions, the city added. ||
