DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte wants more transparency in the implementation of infrastructure projects and called for the publication of projects under negotiation, as well as those already bidded out and completed.
“Malaman ko ngayon kung — malaman ng tao ‘yung estimated project tapos magkano ang winning bid, to whom it was awarded to, and for how much,” Duterte said in a televised address Monday evening.
“Gusto kong malaman sinong nag-dive. Kay kung nag-dive, if it’s a 50 million, dinive (dive) mo ng 30, may konsabo ‘yan. So what do you expect of a 30-million project? Tapos 50 million, i-dive mo ng 30.”
The detailed information regarding the projects will be published in the country’s major dailies.
The goal is to inform the public about government projects, the nature and amount of the projects and to whom they are awarded, he said.
“So ngayon malaman ninyo kung magkano ang mga ibini-bid na projects at saan at ang importante magkano, nanalo, at ang kumpleto para makita ninyo, puntahan ninyo, makita ninyo kung anong klaseng project ang ginawa. That is the rule,” he said.
The President has railed against the government’s lowest-bid rule saying it’s the root of corruption.
The lowest bid has been the source of all corruption, beginning from the national level as well as the local level including the barangays, he once said at an event at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
The government’s plan sounds good, but, there is a reality on the ground that contractors talk among themselves who wins in the bidding.
Many government officials are using private contractors to advance their interest especially those whose family is into business.
In some cases, the government official decides who gets the project because he/she knows there is negotiation among contractors.-Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline.ph
