Davide declares failure of bidding
PB told to help upgrade hospitals, build more classrooms; Magpale adds new committee
CEBU Gov. Hilario Davide yesterday declared a failure of bidding in Capitol’s planned purchase of P200 million worth of heavy equipment.
Davide announced this in a speech during the 14th Sanguniang Panlalawigan inaugural session.
This, as Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale added a new committee in the Provincial Board (PB), the committee on energy.
PB Member Glen Bercede was designated as its head. He is also the head of the committee on planning and development.
“Power is now a problem. We foresee that we are only good up to 2017. So, we thought of adding it as a committee,” Magpale said.
Magpale said the committee on energy will focus on areas with expensive and unstable supply of energy. Bercede said he is planning to meet with the energy sector.
In his speech, Davide also made six requests from incoming and re- elected Provincial Board (PB) members to accomplish during their term.
“I declare a failure of bidding in the purchase of heavy equipment,” Davide said toward the end of his speech.
Davide requested incoming PB members to upgrade hospitals, build more classrooms, improve farming through the farmer-scientist training program (FSTP), implement Capitol’s flagship programs like the trans-axial highway, finish the Bantayan and Camotes airports, and start the construction of a 12-storey building at the Capitol compound.
Davide also wanted an improvement of the Provincial Disaster Risk-Reduction and Management Office.
Yesterday’s 14th Inaugural session started with a mass at 1 p.m., officiated by Fr. Monico Catubig, followed by the inaugural procession led by presiding officer Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale.
Incoming PB Member Raul Bacaltos moved for approval of a resolution adopting the house rules of the 14th PB, which was approved on mass motion.
Association of Barangay Councils President Celestino Martinez III moved for the approval of a resolution authorizing Magpale to appoint a majority floor leader, an assistant majority floor, a chairman, a vice chairman and members of standing committees.
Magpale said her appointments will be ratified in their PB session next week.
Public interest
Davide announced that there will be another bidding for the purchase of heavy equipment.
“This is for the higher public interest, to dispel all doubts about the integrity of our procurement process,” Davide said.
Even if there was a declared winner in the previous bidding, it became a campaign issue during the election, delaying the purchase of the equipment.
“That’s why I decided to declare a failure of bid- ding to reject all these bids, then I have directed the bids and awards committee to call for new bids,” Davide said in an interview after his speech.
Davide came up with this decision after reconciling the findings of the Provincial Board Adhoc committee and the report of BAC. When asked if these same bidders can participate again, he said yes, since they were not disqualified.
Capitol has yet to announce the next public bidding.
In the last quarter of last year, Capitol invited bidders for P252.68 million worth of heavy equipment.
Conequip, Civic Mer- chandising, RDAK Transport Equipment and TKC Heavy Industries joined the bidding.
Conequip won despite having submitted the highest bid. BAC chair Mark Tolentino said the other bidders did not meet Capitol’s specifications.