While Landowners hail the cancellation of the award of the multi-billion Land Titling Computerization Project of the Land Registration Authority (LRA) to the Mega Data Consortium, questions of irregularities still surround the eventual award of the project to SUFC Consortium.
No less than President Estrada showed concern over the latest development in the project of the LRA. In an interview by Joe Taruc and Jay Sonza over DZRH yesterday, President Estrada was surprised to learn that SUFC, the awardee is the highest bidder, contrary to what reached him.
SUFC has the highest project cost amounting to $68 million as compared to the $52 million of AMA, $51 million of Mega Data, and $49 million of PMC. With the recent disqualification of the Mega Data, SUFC the other "technically" qualified bidder, is now the only one left as the next complying and qualified bidder.
Considering SUFC's project cost, the estimated cost of the project including interests and other expenditures will increase from P4 billion to P6 billion in 13 years. This will lead to a proposed transaction fee for the processing of Certificates to Title to P165 on the first year, escalating to P191.52 as opposed to the P76 constant over the 13th year contract term. Millions of landowners in the country will suffer from paying taxes and other fees if the project will push through under the circumstances that such project cost is supplied.
In the radio interview, President Estrada promised to check the details of the report of LRA and review the recommendation to award to project to SUFC before he signs it for approval. "Sisiguraduhin nating malinis ang bidding na iyan. Kaya huwag kayong mag-alala at hindi makakawala 'yan at marami ang naghihimay dito ng mga kontrata lalo na pag bilyon ang involve e talagang pinag-iingatan nating mabuti nang walang masabi sa atin ang mga mamamayan," (We will make sure that everything was in order during the bidding process. So do not worry they cannot go away with that because it will be reviewed thoroughly here especially that it involves billions of pesos. We have to be very sure so that we will not be criticized by the public.)
The Office of the Ombudsman has started its probe into the alleged anomalies surrounding the award following reports of arbitrary disqualification of bidders and the alleged bias for the other two bidders. However, until now the public still awaits for the results of the said probe.
The project underwent the required bidding process where four (4) proponents were pre-qualified to bid: Mega Data Consortium. SUFC Consortium, AMA Consortium, and the PMC Consortium. AMA and PMC were disqualified during the technical evaluation for allegedly failing to reach the minimum 90-point requirement.
The technically disqualified proponents have already sought the regular courts' intervention on this matter. AMA initiated the move to expose the irregularities surrounding the bidding process alleging among others that "the bidding process is patently and highly irregular considering that the same was and is being conducted in violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. The LRA officials are guilty of gross misconduct, abuse of authority and conduct unbecoming of public officers."
PMC for its part was able to secure an injunctive order from the court but LRA-PBAC ignored the said order and proceeded to conclude the bidding process without the consortium.
Insiders say that the Technical Evaluation Committee of the PBAC initially qualified only Mega Data after technical evaluation. LRA Administrator Alfredo Enriquez admitted this fact in one of his press statements. The PBAC made a parallel evaluation and recommended all four pre-qualified proponents. Later however, for reasons unknown to many, SUFC was adjudged as the only other "technically" qualified bidder despite its failure to make its prototype work during the demonstration and failure to provide for manpower development in their technical proposal in carrying out the project.