Palace issues guidelines on vehicle purchase

Reiterating the ban on the purchase of luxury vehicles, the Aquino administration has laid out the guidelines in the acquisition of motor vehicles for government use. 

President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III's Memorandum Circular No. 9, signed December 14, reminds all heads of government departments, agencies, bureaus, and offices of the Administrative Code of 1987's provision that says no government funds shall be utilized for the purchase of motor vehicles except in certain cases authorized by the president.

"All concerned agencies are prohibited from acquiring and using luxury vehicles for their operations, and to be more prudent in spending government funds, especially in the acquisition of motor vehicles to maximize the utilization of scarce government resources," read MC No. 9.

Aquino's MC No. 9, however, specifies that the following do not qualify as "luxury vehicles" and therefore can be purchased by the government:

"Car (sedan or hatchback) with an engine displacement not exceeding 2200cc, if gasoline-fed; or 3000cc, if diesel-fed; and with an engine not exceeding 4 cylinders;

Passenger van or pick-up type vehicle with an engine displacement not exceeding 2200cc, if gasoline-fed; or 3000cc, if diesel-fed; and with an engine not exceeding 4 cylinders;

Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV)/ Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV)/ Asian Utility Vehicle (AUV) with an engine displacement not exceeding 2000cc, if gasoline-fed; or 2500cc, if diesel-fed; and with an engine not exceeding 4 cylinders; and

Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) with an engine displacement not exceeding 2700cc, if gasoline-fed; or 3000cc, if diesel-fed; and with an engine not exceeding 4 cylinders."

The purchase of certain motor vehicles, meanwhile, are allowed in particular cases:

"Those which are necessary for the transportation of patients or victims, e.g. medical ambulance, or for emergency purposes or calamity-related activities, e.g. fire trucks, rescue equipment;

Those which are required by the military and police or other enforcement agencies, e.g. patrol vehicles, armoured vehicles, prisoner’s van, to maintain peace and order;

Those which are necessary in the interest of the public service, e.g. mass transportation vehicles, heavy equipment for road construction, cargo transport, farm machineries, waste management or environmental sanitation;

Those which are directly necessary in the business operations or government transactions of front-line agencies;

Those which will be authorized by the President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, or the Chief Justice;

Those which will be used by the President, and the Vice President for security reasons and purposes;

Those donated by Foreign Governments and Bilateral and Multilateral Institutions;

Those which will be used by visiting foreign dignitaries relating to the maintenance of international relationships or for the conduct of international meetings and other similar activities as part of the government’s commitments; or

Those which will be used for the implementation of foreign-assisted projects under the Official Development Assistance Programs."

All requests for vehicle acquisition will be processed by the Department of Budget and Management, save for requests of local government units received by the Malacañang Records Office which will be processed by the Office of the President. — Jam Sisante/RSJ, GMANews.TV