CEBU, Philippines – The two contractors that were disqualified from the bidding of the P17-million worth of armchairs, desks and tables for the Department of Education-Cebu Province are very much willing to provide documents to prove that there was an anomaly in the project.
The two contractors welcome the move of the Ombudsman Visayas and the Provincial Board to look into complaints that sub-standard items were delivered by the winning bidder.
Representatives of JEC Lumber and Ramagal Door and Sash Manufacturing also alleged that the members of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) had a favored supplier for the project.
The allegations have however been strongly denied by members of the BAC led by the chairperson Judiana Corriente.
The two contractors, which made lower bids for the project, were disqualified on allegations that they submitted defective papers, gave false information and had a record of poor performance in the delivery of items.
The project was awarded to Gala Industries, which was the third lowest bidder.
Felicitas Guanzon and Chona Galang, representatives of JEC Lumber Corporation and Ramagal, respectively, said they hope that with the investigation, the truth will prevail.
The two have also offered to provide whatever records they have to help shed light on the matter.
Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol has assured that his office will look into the alleged irregularities of the transaction.
The same assurance was also made by Provincial Board members Victor Maambong and Juan Bolo.
PB member Bolo is the chairman of the committee on education at the provincial board.
“Nalipay kami nga adunay imbestigasyon sa Ombudsman ug sa Provincial Board aron mahibaw-an ang matuod,” Guanzon said.
The FREEMAN learned from the Department of Education-Provincial Office that the lowest bidder for the project was JEC Lumber Corporation followed by Ramagal Door and Sash Manufacturing.
JEC Lumber Corporation submitted a bid amounting to P17.228 million while Ramagal submitted a bid for P17.350 million.
Gala Industries Inc. submitted a bid for P17,760,750.
JEC and Ramagal were however disqualified by the Bids and Awards Committee for alleged poor performance in previous projects.
Despite the opposition made by the two disqualified contractors, the P17-million project was awarded to Gala Industries, Inc.
The bidding of the school armchairs and desks was conducted on July 21, 2008.
Based on the documents gathered by The FREEMAN, the cost of one armchair is P780, P2,000 for each set of elementary table and chairs and P4,600 for a set of teacher’s table and chairs.
Word about the irregularities came about when parents and teachers complained that the items delivered to their schools late last year and early this year were allegedly defective and sub-standard.
The teachers noticed that nails, instead of bolts and screws, were used in the armchairs and desks.
There were also reportedly some missing handles in the teacher’s tables, which were supposed to be included based on the specifications.
The teachers, who are familiar with furniture, added that ordinary and not marine plywood was used for the tables and the finish was not done well.
Among their observations was that the color is not in accordance with the approved color description and the finish is very rough.
It was also reported that the materials used were not in accordance with the specifications set by the DepEd.
The FREEMAN learned that these deliveries are part of the P17-million “2007 desks armchair project” of the Department of Education-Cebu Province Division.
Another project bidding was conducted by the BAC of DepEd-Cebu Province last March 23 and JEC and Ramagal was once again disqualified.
The two were disqualified on the ground that only JEC submitted the “similar single contract” requirement as provided by the procurement law. It was the BAC’s position that Ramagal Doors and Sash Manufacturing should also comply with the said requirement.
Both contractors said that there is no provision of the bidding documents nor in Procurement Law or its implementing rules and regulations which specifically require all partners/members of a joint venture bidding in a government project to individually submit or comply with the “single similar contract” requirement. —/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)