http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideOpinion.htm?f=2010/january/20/alvincapino.isx&d=2010/january/20
Contract splitting is illegal because it is so prone to corruption, not to mention poor quality of work. It is thus puzzling that some Eastern Samar politicians have tried to do one for the province’s P500-million road project.
Estehanons have long clamored for a new road that will replace the dilapidated 20-km highway that traverses the Wright-Taft-Borongan-Guiuan part of the Pan Philippine national highway.
They were happy when no less than President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself made a commitment to the people of Eastern Samar to provide the funds for the new concrete highway.
However, it seems that some Eastern Samar politicians have seen a lucrative opportunity in the implementation of the project. In what appears as a classic case of contract splitting, the contract for the P500-million highway which covers the national road from Wright to Guiuan, which should be just one road project, has been chopped into 12 packages or subcontracts.
What started as one P500-million road project in the proposed DPWH budget plan submitted to Congress last years ended up—reportedly because of some arm-twisting by a legislator—into a dozen components even if these covered interconnected sections of the national highway.
Conventional wisdom dictates that having the project done by a single, reputable and large construction company instead of being independently built by 12 different smaller companies is more cost-effective. It is easier to implement. Quality control can be ensured.
Of course there are advantages to the project proponent and not to the public if the project is chopped up. This will give the legislator who chopped the project into 12 components to have a say in the selection of favored contractors who will corner the 12 contracts.
Also if the project is not chopped up, it will be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways central office and only “triple A” contractors will be qualified to bid. If chopped into 12 components, the projects will be under the supervision of the province’s district office.
It’s good that the Department of Budget and Management has not released a single centavo to fund the “chop-chop” projects. Perhaps it would be best if the P500 million highway project is implemented after the May 10 elections to prevent it from being used by some Eastern Samar politicians in aid of re-election.
It seems that presidential candidate Senator Benigno Aquino III has serious difficulties making a distinction between personal matters and legitimate political issues.
This appears to be the case because of the reason he has cited for his decision not to appear in any more public forums and debates—that issues being raised there have become personal.
Aquino snubbed the presidential forum at the Asian Institute of Management organized by the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation and he was also a no-show in the presidential candidates’ forum organized by Cebu business groups last week.
There are more than 20 forums and debates scheduled in the next few weeks and Aquino seems bent on skipping them all.
Perhaps one of the scores of brilliant advisers of Aquino should explain to him what matters are personal and what are political issues that he should respond to, whether it is asked by a survey tail ender, by a reporter, or by an ordinary citizen.
He wants to be president of the Philippines and it is his responsibility and his obligation to explain what his stand is on matters that are relevant to his political aspirations.
A question on autism and any innuendo that he or any of his relatives are suffering from this and other personal mental deficiency is personal and irrelevant and he is right to get angry when questions about this is asked.
He has the right not to answer such questions and we can understand his reaction when he threatened not to answer any and all questions from a reporter in the future if he asks any more personal questions like that.
However, a question on what he did with the Countryside Development Fund is a legitimate one. The people deserve to know how he handled the pork barrel that he got when he, as head of the Liberal Party in the House Rainbow coalition and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, must have gotten more than what is allocated for the ordinary congressman.
He should not get piqued when he is asked the question on what he did for Tarlac unless of course he has nothing to show during his three terms as Tarlac congressman and more than two years as senator.
Aquino should emulate his cousin, Lakas-Kampi-NUCD presidential bet Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro. In a radio interview we had with him last week, we asked Teodoro what he did with his fund when he was congressman.
Without hesitation and without asking the rating of our “Karambola” radio program, Teodoro give a detailed accounting of what he did with his CDF. Teodoro said a big part of his fund went to cementing barangay roads beginning with the farthest barangays. He said another priority was the electrification of all barangays in his district and at the end of his three terms as congressman all barangays in his district was electrified except a remote barangay up in the mountains which is a resettlement area for Aetas. He said part of his CDF went to the improvement of existing public markets in his district. He said he also used his CDF to improve on existing classrooms where provisions were made, among others, to the construction of toilets for each classroom.
Aquino could also make a detailed explanation of what he did with his CDF even if what sources told us is true that a big chunk of his CDF went to the purchase of vehicles.
Questions on his love life, both past and present, are also personal questions and Aquino is not compelled to respond to them.
However questions on what role his sister, the controversial Kris Aquino-Yap will play in a putative Aquino administration II are legitimate concerns and he should respond to them. For that matter, a question on what the role the so-called Hyatt 10 will play in his Administration is relevant and the public also deserves to know whether there will be a Peace Bond part two considering that the people behind the controversial P10 billion bond offering which will be paid P30 billion or so this year are prominent in his campaign.
Of course we can understand the reluctance of Aquino to appear in public forums and debates. The ones he has attended have been disasters for him and have lost him support from those who have seen his dismal performance.
However, he would probably also lose support and votes if he snubs all forums and debates and his critics will go to town and pound him for his refusal to explain his programs and his track record in a non-controlled environment.
This is Aquino’s dilemma.
They were happy when no less than President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself made a commitment to the people of Eastern Samar to provide the funds for the new concrete highway.
However, it seems that some Eastern Samar politicians have seen a lucrative opportunity in the implementation of the project. In what appears as a classic case of contract splitting, the contract for the P500-million highway which covers the national road from Wright to Guiuan, which should be just one road project, has been chopped into 12 packages or subcontracts.
What started as one P500-million road project in the proposed DPWH budget plan submitted to Congress last years ended up—reportedly because of some arm-twisting by a legislator—into a dozen components even if these covered interconnected sections of the national highway.
Conventional wisdom dictates that having the project done by a single, reputable and large construction company instead of being independently built by 12 different smaller companies is more cost-effective. It is easier to implement. Quality control can be ensured.
Of course there are advantages to the project proponent and not to the public if the project is chopped up. This will give the legislator who chopped the project into 12 components to have a say in the selection of favored contractors who will corner the 12 contracts.
Also if the project is not chopped up, it will be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways central office and only “triple A” contractors will be qualified to bid. If chopped into 12 components, the projects will be under the supervision of the province’s district office.
It’s good that the Department of Budget and Management has not released a single centavo to fund the “chop-chop” projects. Perhaps it would be best if the P500 million highway project is implemented after the May 10 elections to prevent it from being used by some Eastern Samar politicians in aid of re-election.
* * *
It seems that presidential candidate Senator Benigno Aquino III has serious difficulties making a distinction between personal matters and legitimate political issues.
This appears to be the case because of the reason he has cited for his decision not to appear in any more public forums and debates—that issues being raised there have become personal.
Aquino snubbed the presidential forum at the Asian Institute of Management organized by the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation and he was also a no-show in the presidential candidates’ forum organized by Cebu business groups last week.
There are more than 20 forums and debates scheduled in the next few weeks and Aquino seems bent on skipping them all.
Perhaps one of the scores of brilliant advisers of Aquino should explain to him what matters are personal and what are political issues that he should respond to, whether it is asked by a survey tail ender, by a reporter, or by an ordinary citizen.
He wants to be president of the Philippines and it is his responsibility and his obligation to explain what his stand is on matters that are relevant to his political aspirations.
A question on autism and any innuendo that he or any of his relatives are suffering from this and other personal mental deficiency is personal and irrelevant and he is right to get angry when questions about this is asked.
He has the right not to answer such questions and we can understand his reaction when he threatened not to answer any and all questions from a reporter in the future if he asks any more personal questions like that.
However, a question on what he did with the Countryside Development Fund is a legitimate one. The people deserve to know how he handled the pork barrel that he got when he, as head of the Liberal Party in the House Rainbow coalition and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, must have gotten more than what is allocated for the ordinary congressman.
He should not get piqued when he is asked the question on what he did for Tarlac unless of course he has nothing to show during his three terms as Tarlac congressman and more than two years as senator.
Aquino should emulate his cousin, Lakas-Kampi-NUCD presidential bet Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro. In a radio interview we had with him last week, we asked Teodoro what he did with his fund when he was congressman.
Without hesitation and without asking the rating of our “Karambola” radio program, Teodoro give a detailed accounting of what he did with his CDF. Teodoro said a big part of his fund went to cementing barangay roads beginning with the farthest barangays. He said another priority was the electrification of all barangays in his district and at the end of his three terms as congressman all barangays in his district was electrified except a remote barangay up in the mountains which is a resettlement area for Aetas. He said part of his CDF went to the improvement of existing public markets in his district. He said he also used his CDF to improve on existing classrooms where provisions were made, among others, to the construction of toilets for each classroom.
Aquino could also make a detailed explanation of what he did with his CDF even if what sources told us is true that a big chunk of his CDF went to the purchase of vehicles.
Questions on his love life, both past and present, are also personal questions and Aquino is not compelled to respond to them.
However questions on what role his sister, the controversial Kris Aquino-Yap will play in a putative Aquino administration II are legitimate concerns and he should respond to them. For that matter, a question on what the role the so-called Hyatt 10 will play in his Administration is relevant and the public also deserves to know whether there will be a Peace Bond part two considering that the people behind the controversial P10 billion bond offering which will be paid P30 billion or so this year are prominent in his campaign.
Of course we can understand the reluctance of Aquino to appear in public forums and debates. The ones he has attended have been disasters for him and have lost him support from those who have seen his dismal performance.
However, he would probably also lose support and votes if he snubs all forums and debates and his critics will go to town and pound him for his refusal to explain his programs and his track record in a non-controlled environment.
This is Aquino’s dilemma.
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