Lacson: DOH bought P4K cellphone at P15K each; dashcams 73% overpriced, too

The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday was urged to investigate the procurement of Basic Life Support (BLS) equipment for ambulances in Calabarzon, including alleged overpriced mobile phones and dashcams.

At a Senate budget hearing, Senator Panfilo Lacson said local government units (LGUs) might be “shortchanged” by the DOH supplier as the ambulance purchased at P2.5 million each, only contains 21 pieces of BLS equipment even though the DOH specifications require 30 pieces of equipment.

“Now my question is, are you not going to conduct an investigation du’n sa supplier because it seems na na-shortchange ‘yung LGU kasi kung and naka-specify 30 BLS equipment e 21 lang pala,” Lacson said.

(Now my question is, are you not going to conduct an investigation on the supplier because it seems that the LGUs were shortchanged because the DOH specified 30 BLS equipment but the ambulances delivered only have 21 pieces of equipment each.)

Lacson enumerated the pieces of equipment included in the P2.5-million ambulance which he earlier claimed to be overpriced.

He mentioned the procurement of mobile phones, dashcams, ambulance collapsible stretcher, and automatic external defibrillator (AED) which had “huge discrepancies” if the retail price is compared to the bidding price for DOH Region IV.

Citing data from DOH, Lacson said the bidding price for DOH IV-A for the procurement of two mobile phones was P30,000, while the retail price for the purchase of two units with the same brand was just P7,998.

As indicated in Lacson’s presentation, the bid for DOH IV-A was P22,002 more expensive or 73% mark-up.

“Hindi naman namin kayo pinagbibintangan kaya lang these are public funds. Ako mismo, personally I augmented the budget of the [Health Facilities Enhancement Program] para maging compliant na ito sa Universal Healthcare Law. Somehow I feel guilty when I see some overpricing in the procurement of equipment,” Lacson said.

(We don't put the blame on you but these are public funds. I personally  augmented the budget for HFEP so that we can be compliant to the Universal Healthcare Law. Somehow, I feel guilty when I see some overpricing in the procurement of equipment.)

Moreover, Lacson said the bidding price for DOH IV-A for the procurement of dashcams was set at P15,000 when the retail price of each dashcam is only P4,500. The bid was P10,500 more expensive of a 73% mark-up.

He also showed P21,200 difference in the retail price of ambulance collapsible stretcher which is being sold in the market at P23,800 but the bidding price for DOH IV-A was P45,000.

Lastly, Lacson disclosed the discrepancy in the bidding price of AED for DOH IV-A which is at P165,000, compared to the P96,500 retail price in the market.

“Kung isusuma natin yung difference, assuming without admitting na yung 21 pieces of equipment against 30 [pieces of equipment], alam niyo diperensiya lang? Nasa P35,000 lang e which does not correspond to the difference of the price between P1.5 million and sabihin na nating P2.1 to P2.4 million [for each ambulance],” he said.

(If we will sum up the difference, assuming without admitting that the 21 pieces of equipment against the 30, the difference is only P35,000. This does not correspond to the difference of the price between the P1.5 million and the P2.1 to P2.4 million for each ambulance.)

To recall, Lacson bared that the DOH has procured ambulances at P2.5 million per unit which includes an AED unit.

Lacson said the vehicle, without the AED, must only be worth around P1.27 million, as one AED unit costs around P300,000.

This means an ambulance unit must only cost around P1.5 million to P1.6 million.

Responding to Lacson’s concern, Duque said he has assigned seven executive assistants to conduct a research on the prices of equipment for the BLS of each ambulance.

“From the very suppliers, I had seven EAs  to work on this, yung pinakamababa po (the lowest was)  P66,875 lang for equipment of 30 items, ‘yung (the) highest is P365,366 tapos yung (then the) average P286,181,” he said.

“Doon sa mga online suppliers mas mababa pa P17,858, ‘yung highest P172,353 or an average of P152,532,” he added.

(The online suppliers have even lower prices. The lowest was P17,858 while the highest is P172,353 or an average of P152,532.)

Apart from the retail prices, Duque also asked his staff to provide a brand to brand comparison to provide full assessment on the procurement of the BLS equipment.

Currently, the Health chief said he is looking into complaints related to the alleged overprice raised by Lacson, as he noted that there is a “very obvious” overpricing should the allegations are found to be true.

“Rest assured that we will have this investigated kasi nga (because) this is public funds and we don’t want moneys to be used and not be able to maximize the value, especially that these are scarce resources,” Duque said.—LDF, GMA News