A glaring attempt to overprice the acquisition of a P3.7 million brand new air-conditioning system at the newly refurbished Bohol Cultural Center was aborted after reports leaked to top provincial officialdom on the negotiated purchase allegedly arranged between some Capitol officials and a city-based air-conditioning system supplier.

WORLD CLASS. The 1,700 hectare mangrove plantation in Banacon islet, Getafe town can be another major tourist attraction as Gov. Erico Aumentado (upper foto) turnsover P400,000 for the boardwalk and fish port in the islet to Getafe Mayor Theresa Camacho in the presence of provincial Board Members Corazon Galreath, Cariso Camacho and Ma. Fe Lejos. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gov. Erico Aumentado immediately ordered Provincial Attorney Handel Lagunay to check the reported overprice amid reports that some Capitol officials were assured to receive "cash considerations" in the air-con deal. In fact, unconfirmed reports reaching the Chronicle showed that the air-conditioning units are already stocked at a city-based air-con dealer after he was assured to win the bid. Irked upon hearing this development, the governor ordered the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chaired by Lagunay to ban local air-con dealers from participating in the bid and instead issued a directive to canvass the air-con system direct from Manila-based suppliers. Included in the P3.7 million budget are ten units of 10-tonner, eight units of 7.5-tonner air-con, electrical requirements including labor and installation costs. The governor ordered Lagunay to

Lagunay told the Chronicle yesterday that with the same specification of the budgeted P3.7 million air-conditioning system, Manila dealers quoted between P2.3 million to P2.7 million with freight expense of P97,000.

The Chronicle gathered that the Approved Budget for Contract (ABC) for the electrical requirements was P329,545.85 while labor or installation was pegged at P292,454.00.

With this development, it was established that the estimated overprice is P600,000 if the air-conditioning system was to be procured from the local dealer who was allegedly arranged to win the bid.

Lagunay could not confirm nor deny reports that the air-conditioning units are now being stocked at the bodega of a city-based air-con dealer. However, he said, that whether this is true or not, it will not matter since the governor has instructed to eliminate local dealers from participating in the scheduled bidding.

Reports reaching the Chronicle last Friday bared that even as the bidding has not been conducted, the units are now at Sammy's Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Shop.

In a verification made by the Chronicle last Friday, Engr. Prex Tumabang, shop proprietor, admitted to have received some air-conditioning units, but, he said these units delivered to his shop were intended for a client in Cagayan de Oro City.

Amid the controversy, the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) declared to exclude local air-con dealers in the bidding in order to eliminate any unholy alliances between Capitol and existing dealers here.

Atty. Lagunay said the bidding will now involve "limited sources" which will be identified through the canvass process. This was decided to get rid of the reported pre-arranged deals in the acquisition of the air-con units.

The canvassed prices will be based on quotation from Manila dealers which are lower compared to the local dealers, Lagunay said.

A technical working group (TWG) was formed to guide the finalization of the purchase of the air-conditioning system which has to operate next month in time for the various activities of the TBTK 2006 which will be held at the Bohol Cultural Center. In fact, the center will be the venue of the Bohol Day grand celebration on July 22 where Pres. Gloria Arroyo is also slated to visit the province.

Engr. Ariel Dominguez, former head of the electric system, chairs the TWG with four other engineers as members.

CONTRACT PREPARATIONS

The preparations of the contracts on any government purchases in the provincial government are done at the General Services Office (GSO).

Engr. Edwin Vallejos, GSO chief, could not be reached for comments. Several calls to his cellular phone failed to get any reply while he was out from the office when visited by the Chronicle last Friday.

BIDDING COMMITTEE

Atty. Lagunay chairs the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) with Engr. Vallejos as vice-chair and Felix Mejorada of the governor's office, Rosalinda Yu of the provincial engineer's office and Laura Boloyos of the provincial budget office as members.

Certified observers are representatives from the Bohol Alliance of Non-Government Organizations (BANGON) and the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (BCCI).

A Capitol official commented that the process of procuring materials through bidding has always been an "endemic" source of corruption especially when there is connivance among government officials and contractors.

REVAMP TO FOLLOW

Gov. Aumentado will order the revamp of the secretariat of the General Services Office (GSO) following the questioned air-con deal.

He gave the nod on the impending revamp during a phone conversation with Boy Pernia, head of the Provincial Government Media Affairs (PGMA) yesterday afternoon.

The governor is en route to Spain joining the presidential entourage.

The revamp takes effect upon the governor's return from abroad.