MMDA on P1.1B fund transfer from DICT: Walang ilegal rito

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Romando Artes, Jr. on Thursday assured the public that the P1.1 billion fund transfer the agency got from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is above board and was not spent on a questionable contractor.

Artes was responding to Northern Samar Representative Paul Daza who accused the MMDA of making money out of DICT with the P1.1 national broadband project, as well as implementing alleged overpriced programs involving parks and purchase of laptops.

“Wala pong ilegal or suspicious rito dahil hindi naman po ito trinansfer para i-park lang ang pera kundi para sa isang napakagandang project na makikinabang ang mamamayan at pamahalaan,” Artes said in a press conference.

(There was nothing illegal or suspicious here because the transfer was made not to park funds but to implement a good program beneficial to all.)

Daza said it is suspicious that only one bidder qualified for the project whom he identified as a joint venture between A-WIN and NET PACIFIC, Inc.  

Artes confirmed that the joint venture passed the initial bidding qualification but clarified that the national broadband project is yet to be awarded.

“It is still in the Technical Working Group process, we are still evaluating documents. We actually received a lot of inquiries about the project, they asked for terms of reference, but these people did not participate and I don’t know their reason,” he said.

“We have published an invitation to bid. If there is only one bidder, that is beyond our control if others don’t like to join. The Procurement law does not prohibit proceeding with the bidding process just because there is only one bidder. Hindi po bawal ‘yan (That is not prohibited),” he added.

As for the parks and laptops, Artes said such purchases are within spending limits and underwent due process.

“The budget for parks cannot be a standard P9 million because it depends on the land area, design, and the plants that will be used,” he said.

“On laptops, I will look into it  but I am sure that it underwent a regular process,” he added.—AOL, GMA Integrated News