Watchdog: Marikina's P63-M garbage deal bidding 'credible'

MANILA, Philippines - The bidding for Marikina City’s P63-million garbage hauling contract, concluded last Wednesday, was “credible,” according to watchdog Center for Anti-Graft and Corruption Prevention.

“Bidding qualifications that were deemed ‘favorable’ and ‘tailor-fit’ to a few preferred bidders were removed. This is laudable because unreasonable terms and bidding conditions that only a few can meet could have tainted the whole process,” Lane Afable, the group’s secretary general, said.

International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialist, Inc. won the garbage hauling contract, with the lowest bid of P2,200 per trip. The city paid its former garbage hauler, which handled the city’s trash for nine years, P4,900 per trip.

Mayor Del de Guzman said it was his instruction from the start to ensure fair and transparent bidding procedures in line with the President Aquino’s policy. De Guzman and other top officials of Marikina are members of the administration’s Liberal Party.

“This is the essence of the changes we want to happen in Marikina. I want to use the same bureaucracy or people to correct the shortcomings in their respective offices themselves,” he said. “Who would think that such a low price per trip was possible? Great things happen when you give people opportunities to redeem themselves.”

Afable said they will remain vigilant against any attempt to amend or alter the contract later on to jack up the price. “It’s a common technique of contractors to bid low and later move for contract alterations that ultimately lead to the imposition of higher fees. Aside from being grossly unfair, this defeats the original purpose of the bidding, which is to generate the best price for public contracts,” Afable said.