No public bidding for P20.1-M ARMM infra projects – COA

MANILA, Philippines - There was no public bidding for P20.1 million worth of infrastructure projects implemented in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) last year, a recent Commission on Audit (COA) report showed.

“The agency failed to comply with the proper procurement process,” the COA report, which did not identify the projects, stated. 

The failure of the provincial government to conduct public biddings would render the projects unreliable because it went against the rules and standards set under Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act,  according to the COA report, which was submitted by Ompio Zainal, COA director III, to ARMM Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu. 

State auditors reminded ARMM officials that invitations to bid should be published in the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System website while procurements worth P5 million and above should be advertised in a newspaper of general circulation.

COA said members of the bids and awards committee should attend trainings on RA 9184 to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the law.