THE Cebu City Council has passed a resolution urging the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) to be more stringent in screening contractors for city-funded infrastructure projects.
The resolution, authored by Councilor Sisinio Andales, called for more rigorous background checks and performance assessments to ensure the “integrity, quality, and timely completion” of projects and to safeguard public funds.
Andales noted that the BAC plays a critical role in upholding the provisions of Republic Act 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act, which sets the standards for transparency, competitiveness, and accountability in government bidding and procurement.
The measure also cited recent national issues that raised questions about the performance and reliability of certain contractors involved in government projects.
These include cases of substandard work, incomplete or non-existing “ghost” projects, and non-compliance with contractual obligations, which have undermined public trust in government spending.
To address these concerns, the resolution called for a more rigorous, transparent, and accountable vetting process for bidders.
Aside from conducting thorough background checks, the Council called on the BAC to validate technical and financial documents and assess the performance of contractors in past projects.
Adopting these stricter standards would help the quality of city infrastructure and strengthen public confidence in the procurement process, said Andales.
Copies of the resolution will be forwarded to the Office of the Mayor, the City Administrator, and the BAC-Infrastructure for their information and consideration. / CAV