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Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Tomas cancels buy of P.57M computers
By Gingging A. Campaña
CEBU -- Mayor Tomas Osmeña surprised Vice Mayor Michael Rama and members of the Cebu City Council when he cancelled the purchase of a four-clone computer server and workstations it needs.
The council needs the P577,000 worth of equipment for the legislative tracking system and codification of ordinances, its pet projects.
On Nov. 27, 2002, Rama promised to prioritize this year the completion of the project, along with the renovation of the City Hall main building.
Rama said it’s the 9th City Council’s hope that both projects will make their term “more memorable.”
No explanation
But without explanation, Osmeña returned to the council last Friday the documents for the purchase. These include the original purchase order with the winning bidder, Ng Khai; the committee on awards resolution giving the contract to Ng Khai; and the notice of award.
Written on the documents was the word “cancelled” in capital letters.
“I really don’t know why the mayor cancelled the transaction, because when I examined the documents, I found everything in place,” Rama told Sun.Star.
But Rama said he’d rather wait for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) consultant Rene Sanapo, who is attending a conference in San Diego, California, to brief him on the cancellation.
Rama said no one might have explained the documents to the mayor, that’s why he cancelled the purchase.
“I’ll have Rene brief me on this because I don’t want to go directly to the mayor,” he added.
If Sanapo will not be back soon, Rama will ask Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa to explain to the mayor the importance of the computer server in legislation.
Sun.Star tried to contact the mayor last night but he would not answer his mobile phone.
They don’t know either
In separate interviews, Osmeña’s allies in the Council—Jocelyn Pesquera, Gerar-do Carillo and Acting City Administrator Nigel Paul Villarete—said they have no idea why the mayor cancelled the transaction.
“Before Juancho left (for San Diego with Sanapo) I remember he said that the purchase is still under study,” Villarete told Sun.Star.
The transaction had been processed since March. City Hall’s Management Information and Computer Services recommended the purchase.
Of the two projects, only the plan to renovate the old City Hall main building, which is now called the Cebu City Hall Legislative Building, is moving.
The vice mayor, however, said he’d rather have a delay in the codification project than have a misunderstanding with the mayor.
“We have to settle things first,” Rama said. Sun.Star Cebu
(July 15, 2003 issue)
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