Cebu City's Feeding Program, BAC disqualifies winning bidder

CEBU, Philippines - The winning bidder in the feeding program for some 8,000 day care pupils in 154 schools in Cebu City has been disqualified from undertaking the project.

The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) approved the recommendation of lawyer Marie Velle Abella of the Technical Working Group (TWG) to disqualify Aikalami Foods for its failure to comply with the documentary requirements.

Lawyer Lyndon Basan of the City Legal Office explained that Aikalami Foods Corp. that offered P8.006 million for the project has one week to file a motion for reconsideration.

BAC presiding officer, Juvy Morelos, assistant head of the City Accounting department, explained that if Aikalami Foods Corp. will not file a motion within the given period, it will require the second lowest bidder, Virgilio & Elsa General Merchandise, to comply with the documentary requirements.

Virgilio and Elsa General Merchandise’s bid was P8.175 million.

The city government allocated P9.3 million for the feeding program.

There were four bidders and the other two were Cebu D & F Enterprises that offered P8.215 million and Crismark that offered P8.632 million to undertake the project.

The winning bidder is required to supply 10,990 kilos of fresh pork meat, 367,500 pieces of large eggs, 7,350 kilos of mongo beans, and other vegetables.

Ronald “Raddy” Diola, Cebu City Nutrition Council, earlier said the feeding program is aimed to reduce the number of malnourished children in elementary schools.

At present, Diola said, there are some 22,000 malnourished kids in the different public elementary schools in the city.

The funds for the feeding program is from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), but it will be implemented by the City Nutrition Council. — (FREEMAN)