May issue ba talaga? Bernadette Herrera notes ‘seeming disparities’ in laptop deal after DBM rebuke

By Billy Begas

Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera on Friday underscored the need to shed light on the seeming disparities in the bidding conducted by the Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) for the 39,000 laptop computers for public school teachers.

“While they are correct in saying that the bidding process is ongoing and no contract has yet been awarded, a bidder has already been disqualified at this point, thus it is important to shed light on seeming disparities early on,” Herrera said in a statement.

PS-DBM earlier said that the call of Herrera for a congressional investigation “is not only premature but grossly unfair” since the bidding process is ongoing and no contract has been awarded.

Herrera said that while PS-DBM’s request to accord its employees the presumption of good faith and regularity is a reasonable request “members of Congress likewise have a sworn duty to uphold the system of checks-and-balances within our government.”

“Filipinos — in this case, teachers, students, and parents — must be secure in the fact that their elected legislators are providing the necessary oversight to protect their interests,” Herrera added. “Let us bear in mind that there is so much at stake here: apart from the use of public funds, this directly involves the education of our youth.”

Herrera earlier questioned why the contract for the supply and delivery of laptop computers is set to be awarded not to the lowest bidder.

“We received information that the contract was practically secured by the second lowest bidder at almost P2.3 billion, which is P167 million higher than the bid of the lowest bidder,” she said.

Herrera was infuriated to find out that the price difference was due to the laptop bag and not on the specification of the laptop computer itself.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)