CCCI monitoring gov't purchases

To prevent possible corruption and promote transparency, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be more active in attending meetings of the Bids and Awards Committees of government offices.

Samson Tiu, CCCI treasurer, said they are invited by the City Hall to sit as observer in every procurement of its projects. He said they have also received the same invitation from the Provincial Capitol.

He said that Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act allows the private sector to seek transparency from the government and for them to observe in government procurements.

“We just like to see to it that the procurement is being monitored by the private sector and make sure there is transparency,” Tiu told reporters.

He said that sometimes they are not able to join the bids and awards because the invitations arrive late. “There should be ample time for the schedule so we could attend the bids,” he said adding that there are only 10 of them who go on rotation to observe government procurements of the City Hall, Capitol and other offices of the government.

At present, the Bids and Awards Committee of the City Hall is composed of General Services Office chief Ester Cubero as chairman with City Administrator Francisco Fernandez, City Planning and Development coordinator Nigel Paul Villarete and Vice Mayor Michael Rama, head of requisitions office, as members.

Tiu said that as observers, they can question the process if they see something irregular so the transaction could be investigated.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña welcomed the participation of the private sector, hoping irregularities in procurements in the government sector would be stopped.

“That’s good. I’m not even aware of that. Everyone is welcome, even the media is welcome to sit and observe the bids and awards,” he said.

But, the mayor said, bureaucratic red tape often causes delay in the procurement for the projects, which he admitted is one of the biggest problems at the City Hall.

“Sometimes there is possibility that the payment is delayed to give time to the supplier to come across. You know what I mean?” Osmeña said.

The mayor also yesterday blamed the Commission on Audit for the delay in the sale of the city’s lot at the North Reclamation Area.

He said it is now giving him a headache because John Gokongwei, Jr., founder and chairman of JG Summit Holdings, the only bidder for the property is calling him often to follow up on the transaction.

The property is worth P500 million and Gokongwei has already made an advanced payment of P100 million but COA will not sign the bid documents because “they are still discussing that the property could cost more.”

The property, now being occupied by some city offices, is being sold at P12,000 per square meter.

Osmeña said that it was bidded out and approved last year but the sale has not materialized until now because "somebody said the property is worth P15,000 per square meter which resulted to the freezing of the transaction."

He added that if the sale materializes, he intends to use the money to pay for the city’s loan with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation for the construction of the South Road Properties. The city has to pay P500 million this year to JBIC for the loan. - Wenna A. Berondo/MEEV