P24-M QC face shields deal questioned

Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor pushed the House of Representatives to investigate the Quezon City government’s supposed purchase of 400,000 face shields that were allegedly overpriced by P24 million.

In his proposed House Resolution No. 2143, Defensor claimed the city government bought 400,000 face shields from Strength Medical and Drug Supply for P67.50 each, or a total of P27 million through a negotiated procurement on Dec. 21.He said the retail price was 600 percent higher “than the going rate of P10 in Binondo for face shields during the same time frame.”

“In the case of Quezon City’s procurement of face shields, there was an almost P60 premium paid per unit,” Defensor said.

But the Quezon City government said Defensor’s claims were “unfounded” and that the lawmaker’s motivation was “quite obvious.”

“Through a seemingly clever use of words, and with documents that supposedly back up his claims, [Representative] Defensor has made it appear that Quezon City acquired overpriced face shields in 2020. This could not be further from the truth,” city lawyer Nino Casimiro said in a statement on Friday.

Casimiro noted that Defensor made it appear that there was a price cap on face shields when it was only a suggested retail price guideline.

Casimiro said the face shields were purchased when the national government made it mandatory to wear face shields in December last year.

“Along with other factors, this caused a surge in demand and a sharp spike in prices,” Casimiro said.

Casimiro said Quezon City acquired the face shields at half the price of P120 per piece set by the national government’s procurement service.”