Firm seeks review of bidding for Pasig River ferry service

One of the companies that had sought control and operation of ferryboat services on the Pasig River appealed to President Arroyo yesterday for a review of the Sept. 28 bidding, which excluded them in the proceedings as a result of a technicality.

Top officials of the Metrostar Ferry Inc. (MFI) cried foul over how the process was allegedly rigged in favor of a less competent firm. The bidding was held at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) offices.

"We were the most qualified in terms of experience, technical knowhow, financial capability, and most of all, we could have presented the lowest fare rate for the benefit of the public and therefore most advantageous to the government," the company said.

Metrostar lost to Nautical Transport Services (NTS), an Australian-based company, which offered model boats comparable to those being used in Sydney.

The firm beat Metrostar and Mount Samat with a bid of P2.25 for every ferry kilometer. Metrostar submitted a bid of P 1.75

The MFI, a proponent of the revival of the Pasig River ferry system has lodged a protest with the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC), the lead agency in the project, which would initially construct landing stations on the Pasig River from Escolta in Manila to Guadalupe in Makati.

The company protested what it called a "premature" disqualification to bid due to its alleged failure to submit a credit line from a bank of a financing institution.

Juanito Tejada, MFI chairman, said it was not strictly necessary for their company to submit a credit line because it already had a P100-million authorized capital stock.

Meanwhile, MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando said the process was not rigged for there were meetings, procedural discussions, and pre-bid conferences held before the actual bidding took place.

Fernando assured that the bidding was clean and that all procedures agreed upon was followed point by point that it cannot be questioned.