Modus operandi

At the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), insiders say that after a bidder, whether for cargo handling services, passenger terminal operations and engineering/construction projects, has hurdled the most stringent requirements in their bidding process, an award of the contract is not automatic.

Sources from the grapevine confide that the contract award is finalized by a certain lawyer at the PPA’s legal services department who has the temerity to ask bid awardees who follow-up on the status of their contracts for "contract processing fees" which range from P50,000 to as much as P200,000 depending on the amount of the contract awarded by PPA.

His modus operandi allegedly goes this way. After the PPA bids and awards committee approves a particular bidding, the documents go to the legal services department for the drawing up of the contract. The contract is practically a "pro-forma" contract wherein only the names of contractor, name of project, approved budget of contract, and minor details change.

Winning bidders say that usually after two weeks of waiting for the contract (award) to be released, they follow-up with the respective groups in PPA i.e. operations if it is for cargo handling services or passenger terminal operations, and engineering if it is for construction works. Usually these two groups will refer them to the legal services department, claiming that they had already forwarded the necessary documents to LSD for quite sometime now.

The winning bidder (usually a liaison officer) then goes to LSD. Somebody tells the poor liaison officer to tell his boss that he would require the "personal appearance" of the president or head of the company.

When the boss appears before this particular person at the LSD, he then is told how much is expected of him in return for the quick release of his/her contract.

It is about time though that PPA general manager Oscar Sevilla does something. True or not, this supposed modus operandi is something worth looking into.

Not so hidden agenda

Study Grant Announced: The International Fellowships Program Philippines (IFPPHIL) of the Ford Foundation is now accepting grant applications. It awards graduate fellowships to candidates who have demonstrated social commitment, leadership, and academic achievement. The program reaches out to a new generation of potential leaders from groups and communities that have traditionally lacked access to higher education and know at first hand the problems facing their countries and communities. The Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP) is being implemented in 22 countries and territories in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as Russia. Candidates must be Filipino citizens residing in the Philippines; with a baccalaureate degree with above average grades; with at least three years of relevant work experience relating to the proposed graduate program and to the kind of work or community service that one plans to do after completion of studies; the proposed field of study must relate to the arts and culture, civil society, community and resource management, economic security, education and scholarship, governance, human rights, religion, society and culture, media, sexuality and reproductive health, and workforce development; not residing and/or working in Metro Manila; has not previously studied and trained abroad; and is not working nor affiliated with an institution/organization that offers opportunities for an advanced degree. Application forms can be secured from the Philippine Social Science Council, tel. no. 9229630, or e-mail [email protected]. Deadline for submission of application for the September 2008 academic year is on Oct. 31, 2006.

ATM transaction fees no more

Remember that piece we had on the exhorbitant fees being charged some banks for ATM transactions? Well, Citibank Savings has just launched Power Savings account, which does not charge any fees when you transact via ATM – whether to check account balance or to withdraw. What more, it requires a low initial deposit, with no maintaining balance, and you earn interest rates of as high as five percent. Citibank Savings president Jeffrey Choa says Power Savings is an innovative product that gives depositors excellent returns on their savings plus the convenience and flexibility to meet the demands of their lifestyle. Power Savings also gives depositors easy access to their money, as they can withdraw from over 6,500 ATMs nationwide via the BancNet, MegaLink and ExpressNet ATM networks – and they won’t be charged with any transaction fees. Remember that some banks charge as much as P15 for checking your balance or making a withdrawal. Citibank Savings is an affiliate of Citibank, N.A. and a member of Citigroup.

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