DBM office procured some projects for DoTr

THE procurement function for some projects under the administration’s “Build, Build, Build” program was performed by the Department of Budget and Management, instead of the Department of Transportation, House Majority Leader Rolando G. Andaya, Jr. said.

Mr. Andaya said the DBM, through its Procurement Service (DBM-PS), procured P168 billion for 2018 on behalf of DoTr.

“These are all the ‘Build, Build, Build’ projects of the national government,” he said in a briefing Wednesday.

He noted that the DoTr budget, under the General Appropriations Act of 2018, was only P38 billion.

“How could you now have done that? You procure for 1 year worth 168 billion with just one department when that department’s budget was only 38 billion?” he said.

The DBM-PS typically procures commonly-used goods and supplies for the national government, worth P7 billion per year.

“Would not the DoTr have the expertise to have these projects procured? They would have the engineers, they would have the know-how,” he said.

“Why put it in an office which has no mandate to do these because their mandate is only for the procurement of paper, ball pens and paperclips.”

Mr. Andaya did not disclose which projects were involved, but said he will release “details of the project tomorrow.”

Asked whether he will file a complaint against Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno before the Ombudsman, he said “eventually we have to get there.” —