DND to push through with P491-M purchase of FA-50 spare parts

The Department of National Defense will push through with the purchase of P491.5 million worth of spare parts for the Philippine Air Force's FA-50 fighter jets despite President Rodrigo Duterte's criticisms.

Air Force spokesman Col. Antonio Francisco Jr. said the allocation was for a spare engine and a gas turbine. He said the country’s two FA-50s were still in good shape.

“Spare lang yun, we're just buying spares which is normal practice naman. Nagbi-build up talaga tayo ng mga spares para just in case, normal naman sa atin yun,” Francisco said.

He said there was no scheduled delivery for new FA-50s at this time.

The two FA-50s were delivered in November 2015 and were primarily being used by the Air Force to train fighter pilots.

“For now, continuous pa din ang training natin. Of course yung mga tao natin they need proficiency pa rin, pero yung actual na laban talaga, wala pa naman tayong pinaggagamitan," Francisco said.

"Continuous training pa rin tayo considering it’s a brand new aircraft sa atin, bago sa inventory natin so talagang proficiency talaga, more on the training ang ginagawa natin for now,” he added.

The two FA-50s are part of the 12 jets acquired from Korean Aerospace Industries for P18.9 billion under the modernization program of the Armed Forces.

The 10 others are due for delivery later this year and next year.

Duterte earlier said  the purchase of  FA-50s was a waste of money.

“Sayang ang pera doon. You can't use it for anti-insurgency which is the problem of the moment. You can only use it only for ceremonial fly-bys,” he said.

He said the money used to buy 12 fighter jets could have been used instead to buy helicopters with night vision capability, which could have prevented the kidnapping activities of terror group Abu Sayyaf.

Marita Yoro, DND Bids and Awards Committee vice chairperson, said a pre-bidding conference would be held on October 13.

She added the public bidding was open to all interested parties, whether foreign or local. The deadline for the submission of the bids and the opening of the bids is on Oct. 25.

"Bidders should have completed within five years, before the date of submission and reciept of bids, a contract similar to the project," said Yoro, a director at the office of the assistant secretary for acquisition, installations and logistics.

She said the bidding would be conducted using the non-discretionary "pass/fail" criteria specified in the implementing rules and regulations of the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Some P416.47 million was earmarked for the engine, which should be delivered within 720 calendar days upon the issuance of the Notice to Proceed, while P75.04 million was allotted for a set of gas turbine generator, which should be delivered within 540 calendar days from the issuance of the NTP. —Amita Legaspi/NB, GMA News