Two contractors to sue bids body

CEBU, Philippines - The two contractors that were disqualified from the bidding for the P17-million worth of armchairs, desks and teacher’s tables are suing the members of the Bids and Awards Committee of the Department of Education Cebu Province for maligning their names.

Manuel Guanzon, of JEC Lumber Corporation, in an exclusive interview with The Freeman, said they decided to come out into open with Ramagal Door and Sash Manufacturing represented by Edgar Galang to tell the public about the alleged irregularities committed by the BAC officials.

Guanzon said the accusation made by the BAC officials of false information and poor performance create a bad image of their company.

Manuel, former barangay captain of Capitol Site and brother of Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Felix Guanzon, told The Freeman that they engaged in the said business for more than 30 years and are not serving only clients in Cebu but those from other provinces as well.

He said that their lawyer is now preparing the charges against the BAC members for damages.

He lamented why they were called to have been “blacklisted” even if they were not.

Guanzon said that the issues here started when the Department of Education-Cebu Province opened the bidding for the school desk project in 2007.

He said that their company and Ramagal participated in the bidding, but were disqualified by BAC members on the reason that they furnished only photocopies of the documents.

He said that when their representatives went to the bidding, they had the original documents in their possession.

The project was awarded by the BAC to Dumaguete City-based Bato Industries, but the company was later disqualified as allegedly the company also submitted photocopies of the documents.

The project was later awarded to Gala Industries, Inc, owned by Pedro Galang and represented by his daughter-in-law, Sarah Galang even if the company bid so much higher.

Guanzon said that they even made a formal motion to the BAC members on the proper procedure of awarding the contract to the next lowest bidder, but this was ignored.

In July 25 last year, DepEd-Cebu Province set a bidding for P17 million worth of school furniture and JEC Lumber along with Ramagal once again participated.

JEC Lumber Corporation submitted a bid amounting to P17.228 million while Ramagal submitted a bid of P17.350 million.

Gala Industries, Inc. submitted a bid for P17,760,750 and was awarded the contract.

Guanzon said instead of awarding the project to them, the BAC awarded it Gala on the grounds that the two lowest bidders were disqualified for submitting false information and poor performance in previous projects.

In a notice of post-disqualification addressed to JEC Lumber Corporation and Ramagal, BAC chairman Judiana M. Corriente said that upon careful examination validation and verification of the eligibility, technical and financial requirements that the two submitted for the bidding of the school projects, they failed to pass post qualification.

Corriente said the disqualification was on the grounds that the companies gave false information in the eligibility documents regarding the date of completion of the 2005 school furniture project.

She said there was no certificate of final acceptance signed by School Division Superintendent Recaredo Borgonia in the 2005 School Furniture Program of the office and there is no veracity in the authority of signatory (secretary’s certificate) as it bears two names of persons.

Guanzon countered that the false information cited by Corriente is a small thing.

He said that even if they put the date of completion as June 5, 2006, but they were fined by DepEd for the delay of the distribution until September 29, 2006 based on the voucher.

“Kon gusto pa mi manikas, dili unta mi kabayad sa penalty hangtud sa September 29, 2006,” Guazon said.

He added that their slippage was even only 1.1 percent, which is way below the allowable 10 percent.

Guanzon also accused the BAC of being very strict when going over their papers and of giving special treatment of Gala.

Corriente, the chairperson of the BAC, has cried foul over the accusations and said that they are being subjected to “trial by publicity.”

The issue came about after parents and teachers complained that the school chairs, desks and table delivered by the contractor were sub-standard and defective.

Corriente said that Gala has already repaired those damaged items and in fact an inspection team has reported that the furniture were of good quality. —/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)