News Briefs
CITY FINANCES RADIO PROGRAM
THE Cebu City Council yesterday passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Michael Rama to enter into a P0.849 million contract with Word Broadcasting Corp., the operator of radio station dyRF.
Councilor Jose Daluz III, resolution proponent, said the city’s contract with dyRF for its radio program “Banat Sugbu” has been in effect for two years and was renewed every six months, said Daluz.
“It started during the time for former mayor Tomas Osmeña and I think it was effective because it has been continued by Mayor Mike Rama,” Daluz said. The program resumed last January.
Daluz said that the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chose dyRF for the city’s blocktime because it was the “lowest bidder” for the radio program. Cebu City is paying P141, 600 per month from the mayor’s office funds for the two-hour program aired from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. from Mondays to Saturdays.
A copy of the radio broadcast contract filled by radio commentator Ike Durano and dated Dec. 29, 2010, was attached to Daluz’s resolution.
It states that dyRF would plug the city’s program thrice daily.
“Content of the blocktime program is under the full prerogative of the blocktimers subject to KBP rules and broadcast standards,” the broadcast contract read./Chief Of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac
‘CHECK MY LIFESTYLE’
CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday challenged businessman and whistle-blower Crisologo Saavedra to run a lifestyle check on her after he claimed she was “extravagant.”
“It’s good if (Crisologo Saavedra) runs a lifestyle check on me so that he will know I am so extravagant that I eat burnt maize and dried fish. I have great taste. I eat boiled banana with ginamos. He should check my lifestyle so he will know.”
Garcia presented her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth for 2004 and 2011 to show that she was a businesswoman even before she first ran for governor.
In her 2004 SALN, Garcia’s total assets amounted to P102. 1 million.
Garcia said she believes that the dismissal of the Balili gate administrative case proves that the Capitol always did its work right.
“As far as I am concerned, everything we do here is based on the law,” Garcia said.
She said she thinks that the filing of the case involved someone’s personal agenda.
“Maybe they don’t like my face. But what can I do?” she said.
“But were just doing right and were doing it well. And we always strive to be better.”
The Ombudsman dismissed Global Legal Action Against Climate Change’s charges of violation of the Anti-Red Tape Act and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees against Cebu provincial officials led by Garcia over alleged lack of transparency in the P98.9 million 2009 Balili property purchase./Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus And UPV Tacloban Intern Ana Asteria Erpe
‘PAY FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS’
BCT Co., the supplier that provided Cebu City Hall with 6,000 fire extinguishers, is asking the city government to pay for the P10.8 million purchase.
The extinguishers that were given to different barangays and schools in Cebu City.
The company sought help from Councilor Joey Daluz, who signed the purchase request. But the purchase was questioned by the Commission On Audi t(COA).
“Sige naman na sila ug paningil diri unya dili man jud ta kabayad sa kay naghuwat paman ta sa COA,” Daluz said.
He explained that the fund is already there, but the COA has not yet given the go signal to pay the supplier.
COA asked why the city issued a notice of award to the bidder before a post qualification was made, which is a violation to the procurement law.
Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act states that a post-qualification should be done to make sure that the lowest bidder passed all requirements and conditions before the notice of award will be given.
COA also asked Daluz why he signed the purchase requests for the fire extinguishers when this should have been done by the executive department.
Daluz answered the questions saying that the date of the documents of post qualification and notice of award might have been incorrect but it doesn’t mean that they did not follow the procurement law.
He also defended that Mayor Michael Rama had given him the executive power to sign the purchase request. /Correspondent Fatrick R. Tabada
