THE board and management of Bacolod Water District (Baciwa) can no longer postpone the bidding for the P1.2-billion bulk water supply project set on July 1 and 2.

“We cannot postpone the bidding as we are constrained by Republic Act (RA) 9184 or the Government Procurement Law. We received the resolution of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) last June 25, requesting Baciwa to postpone the bidding. But Annex C of RA 9184 states that we are given 72 days from the start of the advertisement until the opening of bids. We advertised the project on April 22, and the 72nd day will fall on July 3. That is the maximum deadline that we are allowed,” Baciwa interim general manager Mario Macatangay said.

He said that in the same provision, "We are allowed seven days before the opening of bids in order for us to issue bid bulletins. When we received the SP resolution, we no longer have that required seven days to issue bid bulletins."

Macatangay said the Baciwa management wrote the members of the City Council through Vice Mayor Greg Gasataya, expressing their deep regrets that they cannot postpone the scheduled opening of bids on July 1 and 2.

“We also explained our position in our letter to Vice Mayor Gasataya point by point with regards to the issues being raised in the resolution. Baciwa also requested for an audience with the members of the City Council so that we can explain and clarify all the issues and dispel doubts," he added.

Macatangay reiterated that Baciwa has a feasibility study of the bulk water supply project which he showed to Fr. Ernie Larida, president of the Utilities Consumers Alliance of Negros.