Bidding for CH bus purchase a failure

CEBU, Philippines —  With the absence of bidders, the Cebu City government will schedule another public bidding for the purchase of 50-seater buses this month.

General Services Office Head Ronald Malacora, also chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee, said the committee has declared failure of bidding last Thursday because there were no bidders for the purchase of 19 buses worth P152 million.

“It was a failure of bidding. We will review the specifications and requirements if these are hard to meet for the suppliers,” he told The FREEMAN.

Malacora said the 18 big buses will be charged to this year’s annual budget while one bus will be funded by last year’s supplemental budget.

The city projected to purchase each 50-seater bus at P8 million.

Last year, the city allocated P8 million in Supplemental Budget-4.

Under the annual budget this year, the city allocated P232 million to purchase 40 buses for the free rides services in the city.

Malacora said Mayor Tomas Osmeña told him to prioritize the purchase of 19 buses for the free rides in I.T. Park, Barangay Talamban area and Barangay Bulacao area.

Malacora said these 19 buses will augment the current free bus ride of the city government.

Once these 19 buses are procured and operational, he said the city will expand the free rides in other barangays during peak hours.

Malacora said one of the requirements of the bidders is that the spare parts of the buses should be available in the country to ensure that these units can be fixed immediately.

Further, he said the supplier should have a service center.

As to the remaining 22 buses that will be charged against the annual budget this year, Malacora said Osmeña is still finalizing the program for the free rides of college students in the mountain barangays.

These 22 buses, Malacora said, are mini-buses and will be used to provide transportation for the college students who live in remote barangays.

Initially, city’s GSO has identified four routes for the 22 mini buses.

The first route covers barangays Sudlon 1, Sudlon 2, Sinsin, Buot, Bonbon and Babag.

The second route covers barangays Tabunan, Tagbao, Adlaon, Taptap, Pung-ol Sibugay, Malubog, and Busay.

The third route cover barangays Guba, Sirao, Cambinocot, Agsungot, Pung-ol Sibugay, Malubog, and Busay.

The fourth route covers barangays Lusaran, Paril, Mabini, Binaliw, and Pit-os. — MBG (FREEMAN)