For transparency: Garcia defends rental decision

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Garcia has defended his decision to cancel the request and purchase order for the portalets for the Palarong Pambansa 2024.

Garcia made it clear that the first request and purchase order, amounting to P18 million for portalets and portabaths, were indeed canceled. He said a review and inventory of the city’s own portalets was made after.

“Akong giistorya ang mga committee nga ‘taas man kaayo ni’ bisag sa akong pananaw. So pagpa review, niingon ko, ‘wala diay tay portalet sa Cebu City government? Inbentoryohi kuno na og pila na atong portalets kay para di nata mangabang,” Garcia told vlogger Jason Monteclar.

Garcia said it then turned out that the city has 130 portalets, but more are still needed for the Palaro being a multi-sporting event in both the elementary and secondary level.

So the city made the order to rent out an additional 118 more portalets, which cost was cut to P5 million, while 230 portabaths also need to be rented out with cost at P8.4 million.

According to Garcia, the order for both the portabaths and the portalets is called “lump procurement.” But he stressed that the portalets and portabaths were re-bid separately.

Garcia said he wanted to clear the issue for transparency. “Ngano man? Ang inyong giinatan, not only in you, but ang katawhan, ang inyong giinitan ang portalet baya. Wa baya ta mohisgot og portabath. So I said nga mas maayo gyod nga maklaro for transparency and accountability,” Garcia said.

He further explained that it was now with the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) to make the separate procurements.

"So ang BAC na ana maoy nag separate. Kani ang sa portalet, kani ang sa portabath. For transparency’s sake we will know how much we’re spending for portalets and how much we are spending for portabaths. Kay sa una, gi lump mana into one procurement,” Garcia added.

For Garcia, what BAC did was right. “So para nako sakto ang gibuhat sa BAC, atong i-separate. Pila man gyod ang gigasto sa portalet out of the P21 million? Ug klaro na karon nga it’s only P5 million,” Garcia stressed.

Earlier, acting Vice mayor Donaldo "Dondon" Hontiveros, who is overseeing the Palaro, justified the P18 million budget, saying it not only covers the rental itself but also the supplier’s services for installation and cleaning for 17 days, from June 30 to July 17.

Garcia was also asked why he gave in to renting out the portalets instead of buying the city’s own to which he said, it was going to be more expensive and impractical.

“Dili kay nakit-an man sad gyod nato nga if we purchase ang portalet, the portalet is about P50,000 to maybe P70,000 ang usa and we already have 130 pieces of that karon,” Garcia said.

The Department of General Services also told the acting mayor that they do not have any place to store the portalets if they get more.

“Ni reklamo na gyod ang among Department of General Services og mamalit patag daghan kaayo asa man ni nato i-store. Magamit raman ni og dako gyod kaayo nga event, which we don’t host the Palaro every year. So mao na nga ni-suggest sa gyod sila nga it’s better to rent and then whatever we have now we will make do with it,” Garcia said.

Hontiveros also disclosed earlier that if the city buys their own portabaths and portalets, they would also need additional manpower for its maintenance and ensure they are clean 24/7 within the duration of the event. Additional manpower would mean additional daily budget for salaries plus food allowances, among others.

Garcia was also asked on other alleged issues on expenses made for the oval and asphalting for the Palaro, to which the acting mayor said he can also have it investigated.

“At the end of the day man god..Ako man goy mamerma ani tanan kay ako may acting mayor. So ang pagbayad ani ako gihapon. So I have to make sure nga everything is in order, there’s no corruption, there’s no overpricing…kay para everything will be above board and the people’s money will be used to its maximum. The most efficient and effective manner,” Garcia stressed. — Jonalyn M. Infante CNU intern (FREEMAN)