Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s decision to declare a failure of bidding for the first phase of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) and to rebid the project anew wasn’t that much of a surprise, considering how the winning bidder erroneously produced data on their track record.
“To address the issue raised pertaining to the initial bidding for the construction of Phase I of the New Cebu City Medical Center and to avoid or preclude any suspicion of favoritism and anomalies, this Office deems it prudent that the competitive bidding process for the project be re-conducted,” the mayor told reporters in last week’s press conference.
The winning bidder, a joint venture of WTG Construction and A.M. Oreta and Co. Inc., was disqualified for falsifying documents and misrepresentation.
What was surprising, however, was the mayor’s disclosure that he talked with some members of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) about revising some of the specifications and guidelines of the project, and revamping the committee itself.
The mayor’s executive assistant, former councilor Joey Daluz III who opposed the disqualification of the lowest bidder, and Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos were not in the meeting despite being part of the committee.
This is quite telling considering that it was delos Santos who disclosed the deficiencies and violations committed by the lowest bidder.
If revising the BAC committee meant sacking delos Santos or any member who can report anything irregular about the bidders or the bidding process, then it would not only fuel suspicions that something is afoot. It would mean losing a valuable political ally who had so far been a team player but did not hesitate to disclose information needed by the public in the case of the CCMC project.
While Rama insisted that the rebidding of the CCMC’s first phase didn’t have anything to do with realigning the P300 million for the hospital project to the seniors cash aid this week, his reluctance to disclose the full details of his plans, if any, until next month, does little to erase doubts about his intentions.
In refusing to disclose what his plans are, the mayor simply said “let’s enjoy the season first.”
As most of Cebu City take a long break for Christmas and New Year, Rama’s appeal for calm shouldn’t distract the city’s residents from monitoring whatever developments that may surface on the hospital project which people have contributed time, money and effort to make into a reality.
It’s important for the mayor to take extra pains and effort to ensure that he lives up to his pledge to make the bidding process as transparent and in accordance with the law.