OCD: TV sets needed for disaster management

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Thirteen LCD television sets worth over P500,000 each purchased by the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) are needed for disaster management, according to the agency’s administrator.

Benito Ramos, OCD administrator and National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) executive officer, said the plasma/LCD television sets will be used to monitor and project simultaneous broadcast of needed information/data and proceedings in times of emergency.

“Under the RA 9184 Procurement Law, an alternative mode of procurement could be applied under emergency cases and this was applied to purchase these equipment,” he said.

Reacting to a report in The STAR titled “COA: OCD used disaster funds to buy P.5 million TV sets” last Sept. 2, Ramos said the TV sets are deployed at building lobbies for the media to be informed of the proceedings during command conferences, NDCC meetings with the President, hourly updates on the weather situation, and others.

“Because of unpredictable climate change, the office even obligated all its officers and personnel to take part in the beefing up strategy of the OCD-NDCC and at the same time to be responsive to the information requirements of the media and of the NDCC-member agencies,” he said.

Ramos said the OCD as NDCC’s executive arm has to monitor events and situation in the country on a 24-hour basis.

“The procurement of these equipment are deemed necessary by OCD management to be able to provide multi-functional equipment,” he said.

Ramos said the OCD has already received a Notice of Disallowance dated July 15, 2010 from the Commission on Audit.

“OCD did not squander government money for the sake of luxury and the equipment was not overpriced,” he said.

Bacolod Rep. Anthony Rolando Golez Jr., a former NDCC deputy administrator, said out of the 13 TV sets, only three are 47-inch, which are intended for projection of live events nationwide.

“It might look extravagant but when you look at the purpose, it was not extravagant,” he said.

The LCD TV sets were compatible with the computers and they can upload live events during meetings with the President, Cabinet members and the media, Golez said.

In The STAR report, the purchase apparently violated the Government Procurement Reform Act and was done using funds that were supposed to be used for emergency response.

Among the television sets purchased were widescreen units like a 60-inch LG TV that is being used by the Operations Division, a 47-inch LG TV that went to the Office of OCD administrator Maj. Gen. Glenn Rabonza, and two 42-inch LG TV sets that went to the office of then Deputy Administrator Golez and the Office of the executive director.

“Thirteen LCD television sets worth P561,766 that were purchased out of the Quick Response Fund contrary to its intended purpose, and without the benefit of public bidding contrary to RA 9184, are deemed unnecessary, excessive and extravagant,” the 2009 COA report said.

It explained that under COA Circular No. 85-55A and Sections 163 and 165 of the Government Accounting and Auditing Manual (GAAM), such purchases fall under the category of “irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant and unconscionable expenditures” and “that is not essential or that which can be dispensed with without loss or damage to property.”

The COA report described the purchase of the TV sets as extravagant as it was allegedly “incurred without restraint, judiciousness and economy. They exceed the bounds of propriety. These expenditures are immoderate, prodigal, lavish, luxurious, wasteful, grossly excessive, and injudicious.”