CORRUPTION CONTROVERSIES | Recto urges DBM to resolve issues in procurement service

August 11, 2022 , 02:01 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(August 11, 2022) – Rep. Ralph Recto on Thursday urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to end the mess in its procurement arm following another round of controversies that the entity got embroiled in.

Recto, one of the deputy speakers in the House of Representatives, believes that the leadership of Amenah Pangandaman as budget chief would be effective in making changes in the procurement service of the DBM (PS-DBM).

“These are problems she inherited and I think that she will not allow these to continue,” said Recto. “The DBM is under new management. With the change of guards comes a change of rules for the better.”

Recently, the Department of Education (DepEd) was highly criticized after the Commission on Audit (COA) discovered the purchase of overpriced entry-level laptops for teachers amounting to a total of P2.4 billion. But the DepEd passed the blame on the PS-DBM because the latter procured the questionable units.

Dennis Santiago, the new executive director of PS-DBM, assured their cooperation with COA, vowing to not allow any wrongdoing. He also ordered a “thorough examination” of the laptop mess.

“Should the records prove that there are indeed instances of non-compliance with the law and procurement rules, rest assured that we will never tolerate it,” said Santiago in a message to reporters.

Rappler also reported that the PS-DBM approved seven contracts for personal protective equipment (PPE) costing P1.3 billion between 2020 and 2021. But the PPEs had no certificate and medical device notification from the Food and Drug Administration when bought.

In its comment, the PS-DBM used emergency procurement as a reason for the purchase during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COA said the largest contract paid in full was full-range PPEs worth P450 million, which includes surgical masks, gloves, gowns, head covers, and shoe covers.

“There was a need to immediately procure the medical supplies and equipment. The PS, in order to address such a need, acted with haste in procuring said items,” said the PS-DBM.

Government agencies turn to the PS-DBM for the procurement of common-use items for operations. PS-DBM was specifically created to streamline government procurement processes.

But the PS-DBM has been mired in controversies in recent years to the point that it was summoned in legislative hearings. Just last year, it was invited during the Senate investigation into the anomalous deals with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation which provided overpriced COVID-19 supplies.

Various camps have renewed their calls to abolish the PS-DBM following the controversies.

Recto said a viable first step in resolving the issues would be to “phase down” the big-ticket procurement activities of the PS-DBM.

“Huwag hayaan ang PS gamitin bilang isang parking lot of funds or a facility to extend the validity of fund allotments,” said Recto. “Maganda ‘yung original mandate. But when it was forced to become a ‘central buying politburo,’ doon na nagkaproblema.”

(PM)

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