P95-Million equipment acquisition for military moves forward after Duterte warning

From Update Philippines (Aug 7): P95-Million equipment acquisition for military moves forward after Duterte warning

The Department of National Defense (DND) announced that after the opening of bidding for the Hyperbaric Chamber Project on August 3, Medcare Supplies submission was declared as the lowest calculated bid. This is after the mandatory, non-discretionary pass-or-fail evaluation of all bidders.

Approved budget for contract (ABC) for the said project is PHP 94,250,000.00 coming from the Office of the President.

“The Notice of Award will be given to the lowest calculated bidder if it passes the post-qualification process,” DND said.

Meanwhile, the joint venture of Variance Trading Corporation was declared second lowest calculated bidder.

DND said two other bidder, MRL Cybertec Corporation and Deutsche Motorgerate, Inc., were declared ineligible to bid for the project for failure to meet the eligibility requirements.

“We hope to give our wounded soldier-heroes the best medical care by upgrading our military hospitals and facilities nationwide, beginning with the AFP Medical Center. Nais ng Pangulo na tiyakin ang kagalingan at kalusugan ng ating mga sundalo bilang pagkilala sa kanilang kagitingan at sakripisyo para sa bayan,” said DND Spokesperson Director Arsenio R. Andolong.

Hyperbaric Chamber helps hasten the recovery of wounded soldiers.

While the Bids and Awards Committee will strictly adhere to RA 9184 and its implementing rules and regulations in the spirit of transparency, accountability, and fairness, we are also duty bound to ensure expediency because this project will benefit not only the soldiers, but their families as well. We also have to abide by the President’s directive to put more premium on quality rather than cost,” DND Assistant Secretary for Financial Management Josue Gaverza said.

President Rodrigo Duterte in early July said he wants medical equipment for soldiers be procured in 60 days after being delayed.

“I was only about two months President, I visited the AFP hospital. Napakaraming kulang. And would you believe it, itong gobyerno na ‘to, ewan ko noon pa ‘to,” Duterte said.

“I bought you a baric, high-pressure thing, lalo na kung wounded ka, hindi na masyado — for three days, you are not extricated and there is gangrene. Kung maipasok ka lang doon sa makina na ‘yun, it can arrest the infection, mahabol, instead of maputol,” he said.

DND added that aside from the hyperbaric chamber, the AFP Medical Center is also acquiring a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Machine and a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, and Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL) Machine, all of which had been bidded out already.

https://www.update.ph/2017/08/p95-million-equipment-acquisition-for-military-moves-forward-after-duterte-warning/19783