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Lotto, digit games suspended over Holy Week – PCSO
Lotto and other digit games will be suspended from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday, March 28 to 31, in observance of Lent, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office announced yesterday......»»
Grand Lotto pot to hit P166 million tonight
The Grand Lotto 6/55 jackpot is estimated to reach P166 million by tonight’s draw, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said yesterday......»»
Comelec signs P17.99B contract with Miru for automated 2025 polls
MANILA, Philippines — An almost P18-billion contract was signed on Monday between the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the South Korean firm Miru Systems Co. Ltd. (Miru Systems) for the lease of an automated election system to be used in the 2025 midterm elections. Miru Systems was the sole bidder for the lease of a.....»»
[Vantage Point] BDO lifts NAIA rehab
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista says BDO chairperson Teresita Tan Sy-Coson's generous guarantee has given his department comfort that the winning bidder will not lack the needed wherewithal to pursue the project.....»»
Comelec: Contingency plans in place for 2025 poll machines
Amid lone bidder Miru Systems’ history of problematic vote counting machines abroad, the Commission on Elections gave assurance that contingency measures are in place to ensure the successful procurement of automated poll machines for the 2025 midterm elections......»»
Only one bidder for 1st microgrid systems development
The first-ever bidding for the development of microgrid systems in the country has attracted only one bidder......»»
Lone bidder ‘ineligible’ for poll automation project
The Commission on Elections has declared the lone bidder for the multibillion-peso Full Automation System with Transparency Audit/Count project “ineligible” and will conduct another round of bidding......»»
Withdraw case, LTO chief asks losing bidder
Land Transportation Office chief Vigor Mendoza II yesterday appealed to the losing plastic card bidder to withdraw the case it filed after a Quezon City court stopped the delivery of plastic driver’s licenses......»»
Ombudsman orders raps vs ex-SRA chief
The Ombudsman has ordered the filing of charges against former Sugar Regulatory Administration chief Hermenegildo Serafica for breaching the Government Procurement Reform Act over a nearly three-year delay in the procurement of farming tools. In a 21-page joint resolution, Ombudsman Samuel Martires found probable cause against Serafica for violating Section 65 (a)(2) of the law, which penalizes a public official who delays “without justifiable cause, the screening for eligibility and award of contracts beyond the prescribed period of bids or other documents.” The case stemmed from lapses in the issuance of the notice of award in the signing of the contract for the procurement of 25 units of ripper harrowers. A ripper harrower is a farm machine that rips up the soil for tilling. The complaint accused Serafica of deliberately prolonging the issuance of the Notice to Proceed with the purported intention of negotiating terms with the bidder, Super Trade Enterprises. “In this particular case, this Office cannot turn a blind eye to the three-year period it took to issue a notice to proceed,” the Ombudsman ruling read. “The delayed award, by itself, could have only amounted to Simple Neglect of Duty and Misconduct, but the protracted period to notify the supplier to proceed with the delivery of the harrows is a badge of (1) want of even the slightest care, or a conscious indifference to consequences, and (2) flagrant disregard of an established rule,” it said. Apart from the filing of charges, the Ombudsman also ordered Serafica’s perpetual disqualification from public office. Since Serafica vacated the post in 2022 following the sugar importation fiasco, the Ombudsman said he would still face the penalty of a fine equivalent to one year’s salary. Meanwhile, graft raps against Serafica were ordered dismissed. The post Ombudsman orders raps vs ex-SRA chief appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Charges filed against sugar chief Serafica
The Ombudsman will file criminal charges against Sugar Regulatory Administration's erstwhile chief, Hermenegildo Serafica, for breaching the Government Procurement Reform Act arising from the alleged procurement of farming tools that was delayed for nearly three years. In a 21-page joint resolution, Ombudsman Samuel Martires found probable cause to indict Serafica of the charges for violating Section 65 (a)(2) of the law, which penalizes any public official who delays "without justifiable cause, the screening for eligibility and awarding of contracts beyond the prescribed periods of bids or other documents." The case stemmed from almost three-year lapses from the issuance of the notice of the award to the signing of the contract for the procurement of 25 units of ripper harrower, which complainant Josephino Agosto argued that the prescribed timeframe for the process was limited to a mere ten days. The complaint accused Serafica of deliberately prolonging the issuance of the Notice to Proceed for nearly three years, with the purported intention of negotiating terms with the bidder, Super Trade Enterprises. "In this particular case, this Office cannot turn a blind eye on the three-year period it took to issue a notice to proceed," the Ombudsman said. "The delayed award, by itself, could have only amounted to Simple Neglect of Duty and Misconduct but the protracted period to notify the supplier to proceed with the delivery of the harrows is a badge of (1) want of even the slightest care, or a conscious indifference to consequences, and (2) flagrant disregard of an established rule," it added. Apart from filing charges, the Ombudsman also ordered Serafica's perpetual disqualification from holding public office. Since Serafica vacated the post in 2022 following the sugar importation fiasco, the Ombudsman said he would still face a penalty of fine equivalent to equivalent to one year's salary. Meanwhile, graft raps against Serafica were ordered dismissed. The post Charges filed against sugar chief Serafica appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PCSO integrates lotto system
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has migrated to a single automated lottery system to improve efficiency and transparency for both the agency and lottery players. “We are thrilled to embark on this significant transition towards the automation of our system for our lotto games,” PCSO general manager Mel Robles said. “The Philippine Lottery System Project is a testament to our commitment to innovation and providing the best experience for our valued customers,” he added. Robles said that all lottery operations are now seamlessly integrated in a unified platform. For the past two decades, the PCSO had been using two separate lottery systems for its lotto outlet’s ticket-selling operations nationwide: the Philippine Gaming and Management Corporation system for Luzon and the Pacific Online Systems Corporation system for the Visayas and Mindanao. Though the agency’s plan to install a centralized lottery system has been in the works for around a decade, it was stalled due to numerous unforeseen circumstances and the Covid-19 pandemic. The project, which cost P5.6 billion, was initiated by the previous PCSO administration and underwent a public bidding. The winning bidder was granted a Notice to Proceed on 6 December 2021, and was initially given 14 months to implement the PLS. It was granted an extension of eight months to complete the manufacturing process amid supply chain problems caused by the pandemic. The PLS will enable the PCSO to efficiently generate draw results, leading to quicker announcements of jackpot winners and their locations. Moreover, the agency can conduct more advanced draws. The new lottery system has been certified to comply with the World Lottery Association security control standards, including ISO 27001 standards, ensuring the system’s integrity and security. The post PCSO integrates lotto system appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Six persons to be charged for profiteering, hoarding onions
The National Bureau of Investigation recommends the filing of charges against six persons, three of them government officials, before the Department of Justice for alleged hoarding and profiteering in the sale of onions last December as prices go up to as much as P587 per kilo. Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said the recommendation to prosecute the six hoarders and profiteers was made by the NBI which conducted the probe. The DOJ chief though did not reveal the identities of those recommended for formal investigation pending the evaluation to be done by the DOJ's national prosecution service. The NBI's probe on the prices and supply of onions were ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said Remulla. Remulla said aside from hoarding and profiteering, the violations may lead to price manipulation and economic sabotage, a capital offense. He said, "Government officials are among those recommended for prosecution because we believe that they are also involved.” Remulla said it is just the start and there will be more cases to be filed as the NBI continues with its investigation. DOJ Undersecretary Geronimo L. Sy said the recommendation of the NBI stemmed from the overpriced onions sold in the market back in December that reached up to P537 per kilo even if the farmgate price or cost of production was only between P8 to P15 per kilo. He said that due to a lack of supply, the Department of Agriculture procured back in December 8,000 bags of onions of 25 kilos per bag. Sy said there was payment for actual deliveries from funds downloaded from the DA. However, the investigators found out that there was only one bidder who submitted three bids. "The other bids were fictitious so that the preferred bidder would win in the bidding process,” Sy explained. The post Six persons to be charged for profiteering, hoarding onions appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Five groups target NAIA takeover
Five companies have signified their intention to take over the operations and management of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport or NAIA a few weeks after the Department of Transportation or DoTr opened the bidding for the P170.6-billion project. In a text message to the Daily Tribune on Wednesday, the DoTr confirmed that five potential bidders have bought bid documents for the project. As of 13 September, the interested companies include San Miguel Corp. or SMC, Spark 888 Management Inc., and Asian Airport Consortium. Two others who submitted bids — Manila International Airport Consortium or MIAC and GMR Group — have previously vied for the NAIA rehabilitation. MIAC is composed of Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corporation, Alliance Global — Infracorp Development Inc., Filinvest Development Corporation, and JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings Corporation along with Global Infrastructure Partners. Super consortium in running In 2018, the government awarded the Original Proponent Status for the NAIA rehabilitation to a “super-consortium” formed by seven of the country’s biggest conglomerates: Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc.; AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation; Alliance Global Group Inc.; Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corporation; Filinvest Development Corporation; and JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. It was, however, terminated. Thus, Megawide Construction Corp. and partner GMR Infrastructure Ltd. also submitted an unsolicited proposal to upgrade and rehabilitate the highly congested NAIA. Despite the substantial progress, the much-needed NAIA rehabilitation was back to square one after the previous administration also rejected the proposal. According to the MIAA, the Megawide consortium failed to convince the government of its financial ability to support the project. Meanwhile, the SMC., an Asian conglomerate led by businessman Ramon S. Ang, is currently taking on the P740-billion New Manila International Airport in Bulacan. Award out by December Previously, the DoTr conveyed that the contract may be awarded to the winning bidder as early as December if the government stays on schedule. The National Economic and Development Authority or NEDA, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., approved the solicited bid to privatize the operations of NAIA. NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the project will help address the long-standing issues at the country’s main air hub such as congestion and limited aircraft movements that usually cause inconvenience to passengers. The DoTr and the Manila International Airport Authority submitted a joint proposal to the NEDA Board to privatize the operations and management of NAIA within 15 years. The project is expected to improve the overall passenger experience and increase the current annual passenger capacity of NAIA to at least 62 million from the current 32 million. Previously, Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista floated the possibility of closing down the airport — only if nearby airports become operational. Bautista explained that the government can have the option to close NAIA if airports in adjacent provinces like Cavite and Bulacan are ready to accommodate the travel-hungry tourists in the country — both local and international. “If there will be new airports, then the government can decide to close the Manila International Airport or MIA because it can be a valuable government asset. On the other hand, it is possible to continue its operations because of its prime location in the Metro,” Bautista told reporters. “So yes, it is possible to close, it is also possible not to close MIA,” he added. Bautista also assured that in case the airport continues its operations, SMC’s Bulacan Airport can still drive up profits despite the competition. The post Five groups target NAIA takeover appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
CdO, my second home
Cagayan de Oro City is fast turning out to be no different from other fast developing metropolises. Quotidian concerns like horrendous traffic, crime, political maneuverings (with the Barangay/Sangguniang Kabataan Elections barely a month away), bickering in the Sangguniang Panlungsod, and similar problems of an urban area are common. A year has passed since the new leadership of the city took over, but we don’t see the problems abating. With a full plate before them, the administrators must work double time before their terms of office expire. When the pandemic struck, we sort of evacuated to and settled in the city. It is now a second home to us after our house in Marawi was bombed and ransacked during the 2017 siege (I still have to file my claim for compensation before the Marawi Compensation Board as provided by law). We were a constant visitor to the city and are familiar with its geography. It has always been a choice weekend hideaway of Maranaws of Marawi and as a law practitioner I have cases in courts in the city. But now, I need assistance in navigating its labyrinthine traffic. Thanks to modernity and the Waze app which maps our way to our destination. Still, I feel like a stranger adjusting to life in the city. The main attraction of the city for a golfer like me are the golf courses. Good thing they have courses like Pueblo de Oro which is a championship course, a second-rate military golf course in Patag, Camp Evangelista, and the Del Monte Golf Course — a 30-minute drive from the city, home of golf legends Celestino Tugot and Frankie Minoza. These golf courses were the overpowering magnet that pulled me to settle here, in addition to the fact that many members of my immediate family already lived here. From my vantage position, here are some of the problems I have observed that need attention. Traffic is getting worse. I experience regularly Edsa-like traffic from going my place, Xavier Estates, to the golf course, which I could navigate in two minutes. Unfortunately, there are schools along the road causing monstrous traffic. But we avoid that by teeing off at early dawn to escape the snarl of vehicles. The principal stretch they call Masterson has regular bumper-to-bumper traffic in the morning and late afternoon when office workers’ vehicles fill the street. Yes, I notice uniformed traffic aides managing the flow of vehicles, but they are not enough. A daylight robbery in the heart of the commercial hub of the city has residents worried about their security and peace. Robbers got away with about P9 million. Public and commercial establishment are on their toes because of what happened. The daring robbery has exposed the weak security infrastructure of the city. Residents are asking what happened to the much-publicized installation of 50 traffic lights and 80 closed-circuit television or CCTV cameras in strategic spots at a budget of about P93.5 million over a decade ago. It has been kaput since 2012 and has not been attended to nor repaired. The winning bidder for the project was nowhere to be found after completion of the traffic and security infrastructure. Now the city government is toying with the idea of requiring public establishments to install CCTV cameras within their premises before they are issued a permit to operate. In fact, the Department of the Interior and Local Government has issued a memorandum circular directing local governments “to pass ordinances mandating all business owners to install CCTVs.” The circular allows for the meting out of “penalties for non-compliant business establishments and grants local chief executives the authority to revoke, refuse to renew or grant permits to establishments for non-compliance.” Problems of this nature come with the march of Cagayan de Oro towards progress and development, being the corridor of northern Mindanao. And this column is optimistic that its new mayor is up to the challenges of his stewardship. *** amb_mac_lanto@yahoo.com The post CdO, my second home appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Court granted petition of bidder in driver’s license contract
A Quezon City court has allowed the lowest bidder in the production of plastic driver’s license cards to present its evidence starting tomorrow......»»
TRO on plastic card licenses, temporary setback — LTO
Land Transportation Office chief Vigor Mendoza II on Friday said the temporary restraining order issued by a Quezon City court on the awarding of contract for the production of plastic cards that are being used in the printing of the physical driver’s license is just a temporary setback. Mendoza said the TRO issued was not a permanent injunction for the Banner Plasticard to refrain from producing and delivering plastic cards to the LTO. “This is just for 20 days, the hearing is already on August 22. By that time, we are confident that the court will see that there is no basis for permanent injunction, which means that the TRO could be lifted,” Mendoza said. “The bidding underwent a fair and transparent process. While I was not still the LTO chief when the bidding process was done, my initial review of the documents revealed that it went through a proper procedure,” he added. Mendoza who is a lawyer by profession also questioned the arguments raised by Allcards Inc., the losing bidder, on the issue of fair and transparent conduct of the bidding process. He, however, said that he will leave the legal discussion before the QC Regional Trial Court Branch 215 between the lawyers of Allcards Inc. and the Office of the Solicitor General that will represent the Department of Transportation and the LTO. “This is what the OSG would certainly do, for the early lifting of the TRO,” he said. Mendoza expressed confidence that the court will be able to appreciate the arguments that would be raised by government lawyers in refuting the allegations made by Allcards in the case it filed. In a bid to solve the issue of shortage of the plastic cards, the DoTr held a bidding process which was won by Banner Plasticard Inc. The first delivery of around 100,000 plastic cards was made in late July by Banner Plasticards. Mendoza said he does not see any reason that the awarding of the contract to the Banner Plasticard constitutes grave and irreparable damage. “What would Allcards Inc. lose in the awarding of the contract to Banner Plasticard? The contract is subject to pecuniary estimation, which means that the discussion focuses on the money,” Mendoza said. “So there is no grave and irreparable damage to that. And if there is no grave and irreparable damage, the public interest should prevail over the business interest of one or two,” he stressed. The post TRO on plastic card licenses, temporary setback — LTO appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
LTO cites temporary setback as license plastic card production delayed anew
Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor Mendoza II on Friday said the temporary restraining order issued by a Quezon City court on the awarding of contract for the production of driver's license plastic cards is just a temporary setback. Mendoza said the TRO issued was not a permanent injunction for Banner Plasticards to refrain from producing and delivering plastic cards to the LTO. “This is just for 20 days, the hearing is already on August 22. By that time, we are confident that the court will see that there is no basis for permanent injunction, which means that the TRO could be lifted,’ Mendoza said. “The bidding underwent a fair and transparent process. While I was not still the LTO chief when the bidding process was done, my initial review of the documents revealed that it went through a proper procedure,” he added. Meanwhile, Mendoza questioned the arguments raised by Allcards Inc., the losing bidder, on the issue of fair and transparent conduct of the bidding process. He, however, said that he will leave the legal discussion before the QC Regional Trial Court Branch 215 between the lawyers of the Allcards Inc. and the Office of the Solicitor General that will represent the Department of Transportation and the LTO. “This is what the OSG would certainly do, for the early lifting of the TRO,” he said. Mendoza expressed confidence that the court will be able to appreciate the arguments that would be raised by government lawyers in refuting the allegations made by Allcards in the case it filed. In a bid to solve the issue of shortage of plastic cards, the DOTr held a bidding process which was won by Banner Plasticard, Inc. The first delivery of around 100,000 plastic cards was made in late July by the Banner Plasticards. Mendoza said he does not see any reason that the awarding of the contract to the Banner Plasticard constitutes grave and irreparable damage. “What would Allcards Inc. lose in the awarding of the contract to Banner Plasticards? The contract is subject to pecuniary estimation, which means that the discussion focuses on the money,” said Mendoza. “So there is no grave and irreparable damage to that. And if there is no grave and irreparable damage, the public interest should prevail over the business interest of one or two,” he stressed. The post LTO cites temporary setback as license plastic card production delayed anew appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
P130B mandatory investment needed for NAIA rehab
The Department of Transportation said the winning bidder for the rehabilitation of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport needs to prepare at least a P130 billion mandatory investment to deliver the much-needed upgrade for the country’s main air hub within three to five years. “There is a commitment to spend a certain amount of money for infrastructure. We are looking at something called mandatory infrastructure that should be implemented within the next five years,” Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista told reporters on the sidelines of the Philippine Economic Briefing in Pasay City. “We’re looking at something that may reach almost a hundred, 130 billion pesos in investment in the next three years or five years,” Bautista said. The DoTr will publish the Terms of Reference for the solicited bidding to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by next month so that contract will be awarded as early as December. The National Economic and Development Authority or NEDA, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., approved the solicited bid to privatize the operations of NAIA. NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the P170.6-billion project will help address the long-standing issues at the country’s main air hub such as congestion and limited aircraft movements that usually cause inconvenience to passengers. Last month, the DoTr and the Manila International Airport Authority submitted a joint proposal to the NEDA Board to privatize the operations and management of NAIA within 15 years. The government’s plan was shorter than the 25-year deal offered by Manila International Airport Consortium or MIAC who vied to take over NAIA. MIAC’s P267 billion proposal includes P211 billion of capital investments, P57 billion of which will be rolled out over the first five years. The remaining P154 billion, on the other hand, will be invested over the remainder of the proposed 25-year concession period. Under the NAIA Masterplan, there are three key phases of development, which will feature capacity and reliability increase, and overall improvements in passenger experience. Before the pandemic, NAIA had already breached this ceiling when it registered a peak of 47.9 million passengers in 2019. MIAC is composed of Aboitiz InfraCapital, Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, Asia's Emerging Dragon Corporation, Alliance Global – Infracorp Development, Inc., Filinvest Development Corporation, and JG Summit Infrastructure Holdings Corporation along with Global Infrastructure Partners. Massive railways projects slated In the same forum, Bautista also bared that the DoTr will take on railway projects with a total length of more than 1,000 kilometers. The project, which was also mentioned during Monday’s SONA, includes the following: PNR North Long Haul, 853 kilometers; Panay Railway, 100 kilometers; North Mindanao Railway, 54 kilometers; and San Mateo Railway, 17 kilometers. According to Bautista, all of these projects have secured funding to initiate feasibility studies. He said procurement is now ongoing for consultancy firms to create the feasibility studies for the rail projects lined up by the administration. The post P130B mandatory investment needed for NAIA rehab appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NEDA approves partnership to improve NAIA
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) has approved the solicited public-private partnership to improve and privatize Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said on Wednesday. In a Malacañang press briefing, the NEDA Secretary said the project intending to repair and modernize the country's primary gateway would cost P170.6 billion. “The goal of the project is to address longstanding issues at NAIA such as the inadequate capacity of passenger terminal buildings and restricted aircraft movement,” Balisacan said, adding that the successful bidder may be revealed within the year. “It aims to increase the current annual airport capacity from 35 million to at least 62 million passengers. The NAIA PPP Project also aims to increase air traffic movement from 40 to 48 per hour,” Balisacan pointed out. Balisacan said the project, which he mentioned is under the Department of Transportation and the Manila International Airport Authority, is expected to enhance overall customer satisfaction and service quality to avoid long lines, protracted wait times, and other annoyances for passengers. The NEDA Secretary added that the project covering all NAIA terminals, facilities, and runways would start "as early as next year." Marcos added that the unsolicited proposal of the Manila International Airport Consortium (MIAC), which seeks a longer concession period of 25 years, is already defacto closed as it overlapped with the DOTr’s solicited mode to privatize NAIA’s operations. “Now that the solicited proposal has been approved, we are now saying it’s open for competitive bidding so the unsolicited proposal is de facto already closed,” Balisacan said. “Those who are planning or proposing to come in under unsolicited [mode] are encouraged and we hope that they will participate in the solicited mode of PPP,” Balisacan added. For context, Transportation Undersecretary for Aviation Roberto Lim explained that the NEDA Board usually decides on “the best route to take” regarding the solicited or unsolicited proposal on NAIA’s privatization. When questioned about the possibility of funding the project through the Maharlika Investment Corporation, Balisacan said "there is no need" to invest the funds there if the private sector is already capable of handling it. The post NEDA approves partnership to improve NAIA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
ICTSI bags South Africa port ops
International Container Terminal Services Inc., or ICTSI, led by businessman Enrique K. Razon Jr., will soon start operating and developing a South African terminal after winning a 25-year deal with a state-run firm. In a report to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday, the global port operator disclosed that Transnet SOC, Ltd. declared the company as the preferred bidder for the planned joint venture with its unit, Transnet Port Terminals. “Final award is subject to completion of legal agreements between Transnet and ICTSI,” ICTSI said in its report. Durban refurbished Under the agreement, the parties will operate and further develop the flagship Durban Container Terminal Pier 2 at the Port of Durban in South Africa, which handles almost half of the country’s port traffic. Transnet SOC is a government-owned company that owns South Africa’s railway, port, and pipeline infrastructure. DCT Pier 2 is Transnet’s biggest container terminal, handling 72 percent of the Port of Durban’s throughput and 46 percent of South Africa’s port traffic. It has 1,760 meters of operational quay length and 120 hectares of container storage and backup area. Operating 33 terminals in 20 countries across six continents, ICTSI is a global developer, manager and operator of container terminals in the 50,000 to 3.5 million twenty-foot equivalent units per year range. The post ICTSI bags South Africa port ops appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»