Recto urges DICT to withdraw idle P3.5B lodged at PITC

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Friday said the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) should retract its P3.5 billion fund idly lodged with the Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) while senators look for additional funding for the agency for 2021.

"Nakita ko ang DICT may part sila doon na P3.5 billion... If they give money to PITC at hindi ma-bid, my suggestion bakit di na lang nila kunin ulit ito para idagdag doon sa P5 billion? Kasi naka-tengga lang ito," Recto said during the Senate debates on DICT's proposed P14 billion budget for next year.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, sponsor of the budget, earlier said the DICT needs P18 billion for its national broadband program alone. As of now, only P5.9 billion has been earmarked for the item under the Senate Finance Committee report.

He also explained that the DICT lodged P3.5 billion to the PITC in 2016 because it lacked its own Bids and Awards Committee back then.

"Wala pa silang BAC so they relied on PITC as their procuring agency. They are taking seriously your suggestion kasi bumabalik sa treasury kapag hindi nagagawa ng PITC," Lacson said.

Recto said the P3.5 billion would help the agency provide internet to last mile communities.

"They acknowledge the P3.5 billion, ito na nga 'yung sa mga free WiFi. They are now pounding on the PITC, they are following up," Lacson responded after conferring with DICT officials.

PITC is a state trading enterprise under the Department of Trade and Industry. It has recently been tapped to be the government's procuring arm for COVID-19 vaccines but Recto doubted its capacity to deliver on time, pointing out to its track record of allegedly having delayed transactions with government agencies. — Dona Magsino/RSJ, GMA News