This opinionated article is obviously biased against GIBO. I suggest that the author should have done an extensive research first before doing this article. Check out this link: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=151414319269&ref=mf
Submitted by Smc on Wed, 10/14/2009 - 11:33.Gibo delayed purchase of rubber boats
by Aries Rufo, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak | 10/12/2009 8:19 PM
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MANILA - Disaster-preparedness officials warned Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro about the possibility of widespread flooding this year, but the presidential aspirant apparently miscalculated when he did not act quickly on purchasing life-saving equipment.
In particular, officials of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) had urged and advised Teodoro to immediately order the procurement of rescue boats for the expected flooding in different parts of the country.
But for some reason, the potential standard-bearer of the ruling party decided the procurement could wait.
Documents obtained by abs-cbnnews.com/Newsbreak from the OCD showed that the emergency purchase of rigid-hull inflatable boats was being pushed to Teodoro as early as February this year to prepare the country for more flash floods.
But the defense chief, who also chairs the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), wanted the purchase to be done through regular bidding, which has prolonged the procurement.
And then the deluge brought by tropical storm "Ondoy" came along.
Grim figures
As thousands of Metro Manila residents cried for rescue at the height of Ondoy’s fury, rescue and relief officials were hampered by lack of rubber boats in saving people who were trapped by the flash floods. Many residents complained that it took rescue officials hours to respond to their distress calls.
Some residents, frustrated by the delay, bought their own rubber boats, while others improvised with inflatable beds or Styrofoam-made devices. Unofficial reports said that the Navy has only around 20-30 rubber boats.
Ondoy claimed around 200 lives, many of them from drowning. While Metro Manila and nearby provinces had yet to recover from the disaster, tropical depression Pepeng followed, inundating many areas in northern Luzon. Pepeng has claimed over 300 lives.
Early this year, the OCD, as the implementing arm of the NDCC, sought the emergency procurement of rubber boats following the typhoons and floods that occurred all over the country in 2008.
This was also prompted by the numerous requests from local government units (LGUs) for rescue equipment, especially those that had experienced flooding and those in flood-prone areas.
Emergency procurement
The casualties convinced disaster-preparedness officials of the need for an emergency procurement.
In the first two months of this year alone, the OCD recorded 36 incidents of flash floods affecting more than 277,000 families or 1.3 million persons in 31 provinces.
Records from the OCD showed that as of Dec. 2008, its stock of rubber boats had been depleted to zero. A total of 182 rubber boats were distributed to LGUs and to government agencies and non-government organizations in 2008.
In Metro Manila, one inflatable rubber boat each was given to the LGUs of Malabon and of Taguig City.
In Ilocos and in Cagayan, among the regions hardest hit by Pepeng, Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino got one rubber boat each. Collectively, these provinces have 106 flood-prone towns identified by the NDCC.
Cagayan, which has 27 municipalities prone to floods, got 11 rubber boats.
Region 3 (Central Luzon) and Region 4-A (Southern Tagalog), which also suffered Ondoy’s ferocity, got 30 rubber boats for the two regions' 200 flood-prone municipalities.
Another report of the OCD showed that of the 949 flood-prone municipalities, only about 3 percent have been provided with rigid-hull rubber boats.
Fears of LGUs of more destructive floods have heightened the demand for more rubber boats.
Delayed P50-million emergency purchase
In February 5, 2009, a memorandum for Teodoro from OCD Administrator Glenn Rabonza sought the purchase of rubber boats to replenish the OCD’s zero stock.
What the OCD wanted to procure then was a rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB) with outboard motors, which costs around P1 million each. The RHIB is preferred over the ordinary inflatable rescue boat because it is more sturdy and reliable in flash floods.
Rabonza said that from previous discussions, P50 million had been earmarked for the project. “This is considered priority in view of the numerous outstanding LGU requests and as a preparedness measure for the rainy season,” Rabonza told Teodoro in the memorandum.
To fast track the procurement, an undated resolution by the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) recommended the adoption of alternative modes of procurement for rigid-hull inflatable rubber boats “to support the disaster management and response operation in preparation for the rainy and typhoon season.”
In view of “exceptionally urgent and necessary in nature” for the OCD to respond to disaster management requirement,” the BAC supported a negotiated procurement or direct contracting.
LGUs have the calamity fund, at 5 percent of their budget, for the purchase of rescue equipment, but their hands are basically tied when it comes to the use of the fund. The Local Government Code states that LGUs can only use it once a state of calamity is declared in their localities.
Thus, rescue equipment like inflatable rubber boats are normally provided by the OCD.
Confused over decision
Rabonza had asked permission from Teodoro if the OCD could resort to negotiated procurement or direct contracting, citing a provision in the Procurement Law which allows such methods in cases of “imminent danger arising from natural or man-made calamities or other causes where immediate action is necessary to prevent damage to or loss of life or property…”
An OCD official, who asked not to be named for lack of authority, said the negotiated procurement or direct contracting options were pushed “because time was of the essence.”
“Based on experience, the entire process under a regular bidding will take 8 months…from the time the bid is announced to the delivery of the equipment. If we undertake regular bidding, we would have lost valuable time,” the OCD official said.
To be fair to Teodoro, the OCD official said the defense chief approved the allocation for the rubber boats. But his last-minute decision to resort to regular bidding further delayed the procurement of rubber boats.
In his marginal note to Rabonza in the letter, Teodoro apparently gave his go-signal, but he also indicated that he preferred regular bidding. “Why can we not bid and have delivery within 4 months?” Teodoro asked.
This confused the OCD as to what Teodoro really wanted.
No rubber boats up to now
In insisting for a public bidding, was Teodoro just being prudent with government spending or was it a case of misplaced priority?
We called Rabonza’s mobile phones and sent text messages to him, but as of posting time, we have yet to get a reply.
Failing to decipher what Teodoro really wanted, the OCD official said the purchase of the RHIBs was set aside. In the meantime, requests from LGUs even before Ondoy and Pepeng for rubber boats persisted.
In a phone interview, Bulacan Governor Joselito Mendoza said he requested 1 rubber boat from the Department of National Defense (DND) last August to augment the existing rescue equipment of the provincial government. “They promised us to give us but until we have yet to get one,” he said.
Another DND source said Teodoro earlier downplayed the purchase of the RHIBs because at that time, there was no imminent threat to lives.
Ondoy proved him wrong, and disaster preparedness officials are now in a hurry to procure RHIBs. -- by Aries Rufo, with reports from Jesus Llanto, Newsbreak
@christer_gaudiano
d naman po cla bayaran. obsessed **noy fanatics lang
:)
Submitted by kapalmilya on Tue, 10/13/2009 - 20:48.bias article
To Mr. Aries Rufo and Jesus Llanto of Newsbreak this article is to bias against Gibo in all standards- please dont show us that you are paid journalist by some politicians, this is just too obvious
Submitted by christer_gaudiano on Tue, 10/13/2009 - 19:32.Can't help but think why
Can't help but think why ABS-CBN is too critical of Arroyo and Teodoro while giving free pass to Noynoy Aquino on so many important issues (dismal 12-year record as a legislator with no nationally significant bill authored, lack of concrete policy plans/visions for RP, unresolved Hacienda Luisita crimes and land distribution issues, etc.) We should be cautious when the Media is trying to elect a President.
Submitted by laserboy on Tue, 10/13/2009 - 18:12." jdneil " MABUHAY KA!
Sanay mas marami pa ang katulad mo!
Submitted by comonoy on Tue, 10/13/2009 - 14:37.BIAS NA ARTIKULO
tama ka "KAPAMILYA"!sa mga writers ng ABS, hinay2 lang sa pag birada at panggigil ky Gibo, parang halata na kasi kayo e!hehehe..Normal lang nman cguro na e daan yan sa public bidding para maging legal na proseso lahat, kasi pag ginawang direct purchase cguro yan ay lalo kayong sasabug at mag write-up na "ma-anomalya" na nman ang pag bili ng mga rubber boat na yan kasi minadali ang pag bili..ano ba talaga?..at wag na kayong mag tanong na "who's to blame" kasi lahat tayo ay responsable kng ano ang nang yayari sa climate ng Pilipinas ngayun!e sisi nyo sa bagyo at wag ky Gibo (in fairness with Gibo)
wala ako may kinakampihan at wala akong paki-alam kng sino man ang susunod na maging presidente kasi pa ulit2 lng nman itong mga negatibo na komento at protesta na ito dahil akoy naniniwala na walang qualified na ma muno sa atin na ma please ang lahat ng tao dahil lahat tayo ay may sariling opinyon!
kaya ABS, be fair nman sa pag balita nyo at kng pwede ay e balita nyo rin ang magandang na gawa ng mga opisyal sa mga kababayan nating na salanta ng bagyo, ma awa nman kayo sa mga kababayan natin, imbis na mag scoop kayo ng alternatibong paraan para makapag simula ng panibagong buhay ay lalo nyo pa silang ginagalit at ginagamit sa sariling mithiin ninyo!
sa mahal kong kababyan, wag tayong masyadong mag pa dala sa mga artikulo na ito, buksan natin ang ating pusot isipan na hindi pulitiko ang kailangan natin ngayun kungdi ang pag tutulungan ng bawat isa, hindi panahon ngayun ng pag sisiraan kundi pag tutulungan..mag browse kayo ng ibang site at mkikita natin ang tamang pag deliver ng issue na ito..mabuhay ka JUAN!
Submitted by comonoy on Tue, 10/13/2009 - 14:20.Di si Gloria, it's Teodoro
to k?palmilya: Sino bang may sabing si gloria and issue dito? Malinaw sa title of the issue, "Gibo delayed purchase of rubber boats". Only you diverted the topic to responsible journalism kasi para sa you bias ang reporting para kay Teodoro. A lot of readers had commented on Teodoro's inability to prepare the country to possible havoc due to typhoon visits which is happening every year. Ok, that is your opinion on how this media network did its reporting but your criticism is your personal point of view. I read the lines where I will base my comments.
Submitted by Rod T on Tue, 10/13/2009 - 12:03.just a personal opinion -we need to change something
There was nothing and no one to blame... its a natural act of nature.
As you can even see from the more progressive countries like taiwan or china or even vietnam also experience the same.
What is more disgusting in our country is the lack of preparedness and poor judgement of our public officials. What makes matters worst is that they tried to fingerpoint to others (like DENR-Atienza as chief is pretty obvious what should be his rule to atleast minimize or avert this kind of circumstances).
I am no fun or don't like Gibo either but for me he's very competent as DND chief. I wanted him to stay there even if a new administration comes in(just like Sec. Gates of USA), than running for president.
I think purchasing these rubber boats through a normal process of public bidding is just a normal procedure and as we can recall he always follows this procedure no matter what. Its just that this calamity just come in that early.
Another thing, where are most of our public officials now in our dire needs (like members of CONGRESS). Who are very excellent and very fast in formulating laws to implement a tax on text, CONASS-CONCON, or even dismissing an impeachment ( for GMA and Ombudsman Guttierez)? which are no priority. but when it comes to donating even just a small portion of their pork barrel for this unfortunate victims or even creating laws to protect our natural resources they are as slow as a turtle and calloused faced as you can never even imagine...
Submitted by enhinyero99_HNU-COE on Tue, 10/13/2009 - 11:16.Gibo: Uncaring and unprofessional
Is it practical for a public bidding on a single item (rubber boats) to be completed in 8 months? Bibili ka lang sa tindahan ganoon na katagal? Kailangan pa ba ng maraming seremonya bago may public bidding? Mabagal ba kung kumilos ang mga government employees? Or, it’s just how it’s been done to have ample of time to maneuver corruption on the system?
WHY CAN THEY RUSH AND EXERT HUGE EFFORT FOR A CONASS on CHACHA WHERE THE PEOPLE DON’T WANT AND NOT ON EMERGENCY NEEDS FOR EVERYONE, AS THE RUBBER BOATS?
This just shows the government of Gloria Arroyo how incompetent and uncaring she is together with her cohorts are.
We hired this people supposedly to support and protect the people’s needs. They put more interests on traveling abroad and amending the constitution. The President has extensive powers but being used mostly on politicking and personal gain. If it is necessary to fast track the bidding, then why not proclaim an executive order instead of having a proclamation for a national calamity later? Or, the government of Arroyo may somehow benefit from a calamity such as this? They failed and it’s just right to look for reasons and necessary action so that this situation will not happen again in the future. In other countries, this kind of situation, peoples head will surely roll. By the way, Gloria Arroyo is just a mere economist and so have no sense of tackling the task such as calamity disaster unless of course it's CHACHA.
ABS-CBN is just a messenger and labeling them as politicking is unfair unless you are a corrupt or an ignorant reader. Let the journalists do their job and do yours by making sure your neighborhood is safe else go to Gibo and demand for rubber boats. But, my common sense says, is Gibo ready or will bother helping poor people like you?
Such a Frustrating article....
I have been a long time fan of ABS-CBN news since grade 1, 6 years old. I have been looking forward on the issues that were published in ABS-CBN compared to articles written on the other network. News reports back then are good source of information because you can see the different vantage points of the issue... But this article have made me so frustrating, reading this article gives an idea to the reader that the writer takes a stand on a certain side and fires back to the other side... Giving an insight to a certain issue shouldn't be written like this, it’s obviously biased. If you want to feed something to the public as a professional and responsible Journalist, make sure that you give the detail of every aspect of the issue, And let the public decide with their own views instead of feeding the readers with the information that you have screened in favor of your own ideas. If that’s the case, this is more like of a blog taking advantage of a site that is available for public viewing and not as a timely article with a purpose to inform written by a Professional Journalist. I am now 22, this site are the ones that I tend to visit first at the start of the day, and I always observe that news articles published within abs-cbnnews.com in the “Nation” section is always hitting the government’s deficiency especially the administration’s mistake. It’s like a Feast whenever Government Officials slip up, but it’s like a Black Saturday for a Public Servant’s good deeds.
For my opinion on the issue itself, it is just right that the rule for the public bidding was observe because that is our law. I’m not telling that it’s the good thing that we we’re able to experience this adversity of not responding immediately because the NDCC didn’t purchase those rubber boats early this year, and besides, it is not just rubber boats that all we need to prevent the flood. So why blame a certain public official for this when we already know that the necessary points for the law and our countrymen were considered before handing down his decision? Isn’t the NDCC doing its part right now? We can never predict when will nature unleash its wrath against us, what we can only do is to be prepared and do the necessary precaution not ignoring the laws and provisions that we have laid beforehand that is also having the purpose of our country’s wellness.
I don’t know why the editors have permitted this kind of article to be posted on ABS-CBN news… is it really that this is the way that the news in abs should be written? Isn’t it that the article writer has no more topics to write and speak about so he just have written this for his job? Is it because they need to have this such kinds of article format to falsely attack Gilbert Teodoro as an administration standard bearer in 2010 to, maybe, favor the candidacy of Noynoy? Is it because publishing negative news about government officials will attract more readers for the news section of the network? Or is it really the trend nowadays to prioritize publishing negative news about public officials and the government to take advantage of their mistakes to attract readers and create and image to the public that the ones delivering these news are “Makamasa and Makatotohanan”; and that they are doing Public Service.
As for today, Media have been the great influence for the people, that’s why I look to them as with great responsibility when it comes to giving information to the public, but it seems that, media today have also taken its responsibility to disintegrate the minds of our people through irresponsible journalism resulting to a frenzied society that we currently have. I hope that future journalists that would come next to be with this station would have noticed the current stigma of Public Service via news reporting and implement a Change to it!
Submitted by jdneil on Tue, 10/13/2009 - 09:42.
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