Mar scolds DepEd officials over substandard noodles

MANILA, Philippines – Department of Education (DepEd) officials yesterday got a dressing down from Sen. Manuel Roxas II for accommodating a favored contractor for its Food-For-School Program that cornered about P700 million in six consecutive deals since 2004.

Roxas, chairman of the Senate committee on education, conducted a hearing yesterday to investigate the alleged rigging in the bidding process and the awarding of close to P1 billion to the same company that supplied sub-standard noodles from Vietnam.

While noodles bought in the local market cost only P4.50 for every 55-g packet, it was revealed at the hearing that the DepEd bought noodles from Jeverps Manufacturing Corp. at P18 for every 100-g packet because it allegedly contained “fresh egg.”

Jeverps has been supplying the instant noodles for the DepEd’s school-feeding program since 2006.

Roxas was not pleased that the noodles were overpriced by P11.

“We spent P11 more for each (pack of) noodles or (a total of) P200 million more than what is available in the market,” he said.

Businessman Prudencio Quido Jr., in his sworn statement, claimed that the DepEd rigged the bidding for “fortified noodles with fresh eggs” in 2007 and “fortified noodles with fresh eggs and malunggay” in 2009 that Jeverps won without competition.

Quido also told the committee that Jeverps’ noodles were not as nutritious as the company claims.

He told the committee that even Science Secretary Estrella Alabastro said the noodles did not have “Sangkap Pinoy” labels which are requirements in locally manufactured ready-to-cook noodles. It also does not have accreditation from the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) and even defied its regular standards.

What’s more, Quido said Jeverps benefited from the contract over the years.

Quido also told Roxas that the government could have lost P170 million in 2007 and another P251 million because of the anomalies in the bidding process.

Teodorio Sangil Jr., DepEd undersecretary for Finance and Administration and chairman of the DepEd Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), and Assistant Secretary for special programs of the DepEd’s Food for School Program Thelma Santos, who were present at the hearing, failed to explain why a single supplier placed a bid and won the project.

Based on re­cords, Director IV Aida Carpintero, of the DepEd’s procurement service, said only Jeverps submitted a bid for the project, making it the sole bidder, which Roxas found incredible.

“You mean to tell me in the entire Philippines, over five years, in six instances, P750-million worth of procurement, notwithstanding that Lucky Me, Maggi and Payless (are here), that Jeverps is the only one that can win?” Roxas said.

Jeverps president Alex Billa failed to provide documents on its purchase of 12 million eggs for the production of 15 million packs of noodles.

But Billa defended the project, saying their noodles were packed with nutrients, including protein from fresh eggs, and with the later batch, were fortified with malunggay. He also said each pack weighs 100 grams, which is larger than the standard 55-gram pack.