■ CEBU CITY SEEKS SERVICE PROVIDER FOR GARBAGE COLLECTION

As soon as it can publish its invitation to bid, the Cebu City Government can start accepting interested service providers from whom it can lease the heavy equipment needed for garbage collection.

The City has allocated some P47 million to rent 21 heavy equipment that will be used to collect trash from Sept. 8 to Dec. 31.

The amount forms part of the recently approved second 2018 supplemental budget of P66.4 million.

In an interview, Department of General Services head Ronald Malacora said the invitation to bid will be published within the week. “Open to interested bidders na within the week. Otherwise, di mahuman og dali (it might not get done right away),” he said.

The public bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a non-discretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Since last January, the City Government has been paying Pasajero Motors Corp. (Pamocor) around P65.5 million for the rental of trucks that are operating for 24 hours. The trucks are leased to haul garbage and deliver it to the transfer station.

The City is paying P678 an hour for every truck. This includes fuel, driver’s salary and vehicle maintenance.

Since Pamocor’s contract will end this month, the City Government will have to look for another service provider.

But after the election of Kasambagan Barangay Captain Franklyn Ong as president of the Association of Barangay Councils, Pamocor might no longer join the City’s public bidding.