Contractors with lowest bid not the best for Duterte

President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday that he would not follow the government's "lowest bid" rule in awarding contracts for government projects as it led to corruption and usually left the government with sub-standard equipment.

"Hindi ako iyong tao na maniwala diyan sa COA [Commission on Audit] iyang the lowest bid kasi kung may bilhin ka kahit ito, itong lowest bid, ibigay sa inyo barat," Duterte told an audience of soldiers, and patients at the AFP Medical Center in Quezon City.

"Kaya lahat ng equipment n'yo, pinaalam ko na sa COA, hindi ako susunod diyan. Mag-aaway tayo diyan, because the lowest bid is the source of corruption," he added.

Duterte said this after promising to build a state-of-the-art medical facility for the AFP.

The president explained that he did not want to purchase equipment that would not be durable. 

"Pahabulan ng presyo, pababaan mo ang presyo mo. Iyong iba, 100, ipabili nito ng 20, eh 'di ipabili mo nalang sa akin iyong made in--alam mo na. Huwag muna ngayon kasi may alitan tayo. Tapos sabihin ng mga sundalo, 'Sir, nasira agad.' Kagaya ng jeep ng police. Tignan mo iyong binili nila. Wala na. Sabi ko, 'Huwag mo akong bigyan ng sh-t na iyan.' Ako, ang pulis ko doon [Davao City], Isuzu, and it will last for about three to five years. Huwag lang ibunggo ng mga buang," Duterte said.  

"Iyong [medical] equipment ninyo, state of the art. Bahala na mahal. Ayaw ko iyong gagamitin, nasisira," he emphasized. 

Duterte said that to get the best, he would ask experts to guide him on which had the best value.

"Magtanong lang ako ng doktor ano ang pinaka the best, iyon na. Magsabi ang COA lowest bid, ah lulo [Bisaya swear word meaning masturbation] mo. Mag-ingay tapos ang net product ng trabaho mo basag? I will argue. I have talk to COA again to revise it. It must be really the quality miski sa armas," he said.

Corruption

Duterte then continued to point out how the lowest-bid rule paved the way for corruption.

"Hindi ako naniniwala niyang lowest bid lowest bid. Kapag nag-bid, price is about one million or one hundred billion iyong highway. Tapos mag-lowest bid ka, i-baba ng mga gago, wala namang truck, wala namang traktor, wala lahat, mag-bid, ipabagsak ng 20 eh di manalo siya," Duterte detailed.

"Ngayon, magbigay pa sa mayor, kuha pa ang COA. And there is this this stupid law pati barangay captain mag-certify na kumpleto iyong--iyong isang kilometro ganito lang kaiksi, balewala iyan," he added.

According to the Department of Public of Works and Highways (DPWH) procedures, each agency will create a Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) to determine eligibility, conduct bidding, evaluate bids and post qualification of the lowest calculated bid, as well as recommend award of contracts.

Only qualified bidders will be evaluated and be made to come up with the lowest calculated bid. It said that the lowest calculated bid should still satisfy all requirements needed for the procurement.

In an attempt to reassure the public, Duterte made it clear that he would be on top of all government bids.

"Iyang bidding, bidding diyan, nandiyan ako. Ako ang mag-bid para walang gulo," Duterte said. — NB/DVM, GMA News