Costly cell phones, laptops on OPS shopping list in ’07

A P1.7-million sport utility vehicle, P50,000 lapel microphones, laptops costing more than P200,000 each, and studio lights costing more than P500,000 each.

These are among the items in the shopping list for next year of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS), headed by Secretary Ignacio Bunye, and the agencies under it. The list was submitted yesterday to the House committee on appropriations chaired by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda.

The listing details where Bunye’s office and its agencies intend to use P89.5 million in capital outlay that they are seeking for 2007.

Of that amount, P50 million would go to People’s Television Network (PTV-4), P15.1 million to the Presidential Broadcast Staff, P12 million to the Bureau of Broadcast Services, P9.7 million to Bunye’s office, P1.5 million to the Philippine Information Agency, P900,000 to the News and Information Bureau, P200,000 to the Bureau of Communication Services, and P100,000 to the National Printing Office.

The P50 million for PTV-4 is described as the "government’s capital subscription" or subsidy.

In the past, there have been instances when lawmakers refused to appropriate a subsidy for PTV-4 on the ground that the government’s television network should be able to self-liquidate, raise its own funds from advertising and operate like a private TV station.

However, the government’s station has been facing financial problems, though it is reportedly trying to solve them now. At one time, disgruntled employees picketed its offices in Quezon City.

The OPS budget documents showed that the Presidential Broadcast Staff (PBS) would buy a Toyota Fortuner SUV costing P1.7 million, eight Red Head (apparently a brand) lights costing P523,600 each for a total of P4.2 million, six Toshiba Tecra M2 laptops costing P211,454.32 apiece for a total of P1.3 million, another laptop with a P203,000 price tag, eight pieces of Sony ECM-77 lapel microphone costing P49,280 each, and six Shure SM-58 microphones costing P14,754 apiece.

PBS is the OPS unit that covers President Arroyo’s activities here and abroad. Its procurement list also includes one P3.5-million Toyota Coaster, two Mitsubishi vans, seven personal computers, six electric typewriters, nine air-conditioners, and 21 swivel chairs costing P25,200 each.

Bunye’s office will procure one utility vehicle costing P1 million, eight utility vehicles costing P750,000 each, three laptops costing P70,000 apiece, for units of mobile phones, 15 units of personal computers, five motorcycles, two DVD players, one refrigerator, and five air-conditioners.

The are only two items on the wish list of the News and Information Bureau: a P100,000 laptop and a utility vehicle costing P800,000. On the other hand, the National Printing Office would procure a P100,000 personal computer.

The P1.5 million for the Philippine Information Agency would be spent for fencing its lot in Malolos City in Bulacan.

The appropriations committee approved the OPS budget without asking why the principal presidential image-building agency is buying expensive vehicles, laptops, microphones, lights, and other equipment, and why it quoted different prices for utility vehicles, laptops and personal computers.

In the past, OPS had P10 million in intelligence funds, raising concerns that it could be spying on journalists. Such appropriation is no longer present in the budget of the OPS under Bunye.

Bunye and his two co-equals in the OPS — Secretary Cerge Remonde and Secretary Conrado Limcaoco — did not attend yesterday’s budget hearing and sent only their underlings. — Jess Diaz