Watchdog wants Indian printing firm banned

MANILA, Philippines - A consumer advocacy group warned the Aquino administration that an Indian firm has been operating in the country despite being blacklisted by its own government.

In a letter to the Government Procurement and Policy Board, the Action for Consumerism and Transparency for Nation Building (Action) asked the GPPB to blacklist M/S Madras Securities Printers Pvt. Ltd.

Action president Vito Gaspar Silo said the firm was banned from participating in biddings in its own country but has managed to operate in the Philippines.

He said the Indian company reportedly participated in biddings by different government agencies, including a project to produce the Social Security System’s unified multi-purpose identification cards for five years.    

“We certainly would not want to have our funds dissipated in favor of a foreign bidder that has a derogatory record in its country of origin,” Silo said.

Action furnished the GPPB with a certified true copy of a court decision stating that the Unique Identification Authority of India has effectively banned the firm.