TARLAC CITY – This home province of former president Benigno S. Aquino, III is about to get a P6.1 billion irrigation project from the Duterte administration.
Last January 12, the project has been bidded out and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) expects to begin construction soon with the availability of its fund from the national government.
But it may not all be that simple as the losing bidders to this mega-irrigation project is crying foul, accusing the NIA of allegedly pulling strings to ensure ITP construction/ Guangxi Hydroelectric Construction Bureau (GHCB) emerge as the only qualified bidder of the project.
Dr. Renato P. Legaspi, Sr., Managing Officer of Green Asia Construction and Development Corporation/Guangdong Hydropower Engineering Co. Consortium, and one of the qualified bidders, in his appeal to NIA Administrator Peter Laviña said that the January 12 bidding should be declared null and void since there was only one bidder that hurdled during the said bidding.
A licensed Triple A contractor for 36 years, Legaspi’s action came after six other bidders were not able to participate due to delays in the issuances of their licenses because of the requirements imposed by both the BAC and PCAB, and that only ITP Construction, Inc./ GHCB was favorably issued a special license as early as Nov. 24, 2016. (Mar T. Supnad)