Revilla seeks review of license plate standardization project

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. wants a review of the P3.85-billion license plate standardization program of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) amid complaints of a bidder which was disqualified from the project.

Revilla, chairman of the Senate committee on public services, recently said he wants the program scrutinized, citing reports on alleged irregularities in its implementation.

Revilla said there are also reports that one of the two qualified bidders had been blacklisted by the LTO before.

The senator said the DOTC opened the P3.85-billion bidding last May 6 for the production of 5.2 million brand new two-piece license plates for motor vehicles and 10 million pieces for motorcycles.

Two days after the bidding, the DOTC announced the disqualification of six bidders and the qualification of only two – a joint venture between the Spanish company Industrias Samart and Philippines’ Datatrail Corp., and another joint venture of local company Power Plates Development Concepts Inc. and  Dutch firm J Knieriem BV Goes (JKG).

RNA Holdings Inc., one of the losing bidders, decried why it was not given another chance when there was a miscommunication in the documents it submitted.

Revilla said that RNA Holdings Inc. offered to produce the plates at less than  half the cost of the two winning bidders.

“I am aware that we don’t just look at the cost when we purchase materials for the use of Filipino people. However, if RNA’s claims are correct, then the agreement they have entered into is grossly disadvantageous. This merits further scrutiny, especially if taxpayers would have to shoulder this cost,” Revilla said.

RNA Holdings also protested the false testimonies of bidders when they claimed that they fulfilled a non-existent technical requirement called “ASTM D 4956 8.5 standard.”

The company added that since it is a government rule that bids will be rejected once claims not supported by evidences are made, the DOTC should have dismissed all the bids.

RNA Holdings said its bid for motor vehicles license plates only costs P168.85 per piece, compared to the P380 and P388.05 prices of the Dutch and Spanish companies, respectively.

Revilla said the 10 million pieces of motorcycle plates would have only cost P46.16 per piece compared to the P120 and P128 prices of other companies.

The two qualified bidders intend to produce the plates overseas and not locally, Revilla said.

“I hope that the DOTC and LTO come clean. How did they come up with the decision?” he said.

The recently issued Memorandum Circular No. VPT-2013-1772, or the Motor Vehicle License Plates Standardization Program outlines the new plate design which will be mandatory for both old and current vehicles. 

According to the memo, the new license plates, exclusive of other charges, will be P450 for motor vehicles and P120 for motorcycles, and will be paid by vehicle owners upon registration.

Insufficient plates, stickers

Meanwhile, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto has called for an inquiry into delays in the release of motor vehicle license plates and registration stickers by the LTO, which have been plaguing motorists for several months.

In a resolution filed last month, Recto expressed concern over the delays that have “caused and inconvenienced owners and drivers who are unnecessarily apprehended for driving without license plates or tags.”

The LTO has come up with various reasons for the delays in the release of the license plates and stickers, including the supposed unprecedented increase in the number of registered motor vehicles, which stands at 1,572,121 since 2009.

It also blamed its current bidding regulations, the limited production capacity of its plate-making facility and delays in the delivery of aluminum sheeting materials. – With Marvin Sy