Procurement guidelines pushed

CEBU, Philippines - Neophyte Provincial Board Member Grecilda “Gigi” Sanchez is pursuing the setting of procedures and guidelines for the acquisition or procurement of real properties, which PB Member Arleigh Jay Sitoy tried to push a year ago.

Both measures are aimed at preventing a repeat of purchases like the controversial Balili property.

The proposed ordinance, to be known as the Real Property Purchase Ordinance of the Province of Cebu, was taken up for first reading yesterday.

Sanchez pointed out that the Government Procurement Reform Act and its Implementing Rules and Regulations do not extend to the procurement of real properties by the local government units as it only covers purchases involving goods and service.

“The hullabaloo of such purchase has placed for sometime the provincial government and its officials under the importunate volley of public suspicion and adverse publicity,” she said.

Sanchez said that instituting systematic procedures and guidelines governing the purchase of real properties ensure that transactions of such nature shall at all times be above-board and within the bounds of propriety and transparency.

Under the proposal, the governor is given the prerogative to determine the necessity, viability, and expediency of acquiring/procuring real properties for beneficial use by the Province.

Stipulated in the draft ordinance is the process from the ocular inspection and actual appraisal by the Provincial Appraisal Committee, reporting to the governor and the governor’s action on the report to the PB resolution of authority to negotiate, commencement of negotiation, conduct of negotiation, drafting of the memorandum of agreement, PB authority to enter into a MOA and the signing of the MOA.

Other provisions include the ratification of the MOA; drafting, signing and the ratification of the deed of sale; preparation of voucher for payment; mode, place and time of payment and appropriation in the budget.

The measure prohibits any officials and employees of the Province to act as brokers on properties that may be purchased by the Province.

Last July 2012, Sitoy submitted the same proposal but it was deferred.

The Office of the Ombudsman filed anti-graft charges against then governor and now third district Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia and other officials and individuals before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged anomalous purchase of the 25-hectare Balili estate in Tinaan, Naga City in the amount of P99-million.

It was found out that 80,124 square meters, or more than eight hectares of the property, was submerged and 14,402 square meters are mangrove areas.  (FREEMAN)