Chinese companies favored in lopsided contracts — senator

A SENATOR on Tuesday accused the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) of favoring Chinese companies in the purchase of P9.2 billion in mostly overpriced personal protective equipment amid a coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement, Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel noted that of the 11 contracts, seven were awarded to five Chinese contractors worth P5.2 billion. Two of the Chinese companies were awarded two contracts each.

“We have so many questions for the DBM, and again, we do need answers to better inform our budget deliberations in the Senate,” she said.

“Our office operates with utmost transparency and we have cooperated for any request of inquiry,” the Budget department’s Procurement Service said in an e-mailed statement. “We are distressed as this issue of PPE procurement has become political in nature. Our interest is transparency and not politics.”

The office said it had asked Ms. Baraquel to give it a copy of the basis of her overpricing findings. “This is so we can validate her allegations. We have yet to receive a reply.”

Four local companies were awarded contracts worth P4 billion, according to a table provided by the lawmaker posted on the Senate website.

Ms. Baraquel also said the protective equipment had been overpriced.

“We need to start the audit of COVID-19 funds, not just the questionable personal protective equipment here but government spending as well,” she said in Filipino.

Ms. Baraquel said a local contractor had managed to procure 30,000 units at

P1,700 each, lower than the

P1,900 per unit charged by the other contracts. —

Charmaine A. Tadalan and

Vann Marlo M. Villegas