CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The city government is giving away three brand new cars as the grand prize in the Christmas party of City Hall employees on Dec. 16.

However, netizens frowned and expressed concern that the City Hall budget might be affected because of the luxurious prizes.

Atty. Roy Hilario Raagas, city administrator, allayed their fears, saying the city government did not spend any amount for their purchase.

In a message during the flag-raising ceremony on Monday, Dec. 12, Raagas said every City Hall employee and official contributed P500 each to purchase them.

“They thought (city hall) paid for the three cars. They didn’t know that it was being paid by the employees. Every employee (contributed) P500 each and the money collected was being used to purchase,” Raagas said in the vernacular.

The vehicles were posted on Dec. 6 in the official Facebook page of Mayor Rolando Uy here and elicited various reactions.

Many netizens greeted and commented “mine,” with the hashtag #manifesting that the raffle is only open for City Hall employees.

Some netizens noted that the money used to purchase the vehicles -- a Toyota Wigo, Toyota Innova, and Toyota Raize -- would have helped many people here.

These cars in their cheapest model are worth a total of approximately P2.5 million.

Raagas said the city government and Uy made the initiative as a way of encouraging employees.

“The city hall did not spend anything, for the information of everybody. This was made by the city hall and Mayor Klarex (Rolando Uy) to encourage all of us,” Raagas added.