Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto said the local government has saved more than P414 million over the past eight months, thanks to their “realistic” public bidding for the procurement of the city’s goods and services.
“Simula nung Octobre hanggang ngayon, nakatipid ang ating gobyerno dahil sa makatutuhanan na competitive public bidding, nakatipid na po tayo ng P414.7 million (From October to the present, because of realistic competitive bidding, we have saved P414.7 million),” Sotto said on Thursday (July 2) in his State of City Address as the city celebrates its 447th founding anniversary.
According to the mayor, the local government was able to do this because they have a good Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).
“Pero kailangan ko rin pong sabihin, nagagawa po natin ito dahil walang perang napupunta sa bulsa ko (But I also have to say, we can do this because no money goes into my pocket),” he said.
In his hour-long speech, Sotto also took a jab at those who continue their corrupt practices, saying that by doing so, they are going against a generation of Pasigueños who are sick and tired of corruption.
“Pag hindi kayo nakikiisa sa mga pagbabago, hindi ninyo niyayakap ‘yung mga prinsipyo ng mabuting paggo-gobyerno, ang kinakalaban ninyo ay isang henerasyon -- isang buong henerasyon ng mga Pasigueño na sawang-sawa na sa lumang kalakaran ang ating pamahalaan (When you disagree with the changes, and you do not embrace the principles of good governance, you are fighting against an entire generation -- an entire generation of Pasigueños who are fed up with the old ways of governance),” Sotto said.
“Isang henerasyon ng mga Pasigueño na ayaw sa mga practice na corrupt. Na ayaw sa gobyernong puro lagayan, puro kotongan, puro corrupt practices. Hindi po ako ang kinakalaban ninyo (A generation of Pasigueños who do not want corrupt practices, who do not want the government to engage in bribery and extortion, and exercise corrupt practices. I am not the one you’re going against),” he continued.
It has been over a year since the then-29-year-old Sotto swore an oath as the new local chief executive of Pasig City. Since the start of his term, Sotto has embarked on an ambitious crusade to eradicate the culture of political patronage in Pasig City.
In 2019, his administration launched “Ugnayan sa Pasig,” an information and feedback mechanism for the public as the local government recognized the importance of the public’s right to information. People can also report complaints of irregularities and grievances through the Ugnayan.
The creation of the transparency of complaints unit was made possible through the city's landmark Ordinance No. 37 or the Pasig Transparency Mechanism Ordinance of 2018, passed by Sotto who was then a first-term councilor.
The local government has also partnered with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) to eradicate bureaucratic red tape in the local government.
The mayor has also pushed to change the perspective of the public on members of the Pasig Traffic and Parking Management Office (TPMO) by subjecting them to a continuing professional development program.
Under the program, TPMO officers were taught traffic rules and regulations, and how to properly interact with motorists.
“Dito sa Pasig tinatalikuran natin yung mag dating gawi, mga lumang habit na alam natin ay hindi tama. Dito sa Pasig niyayakap natin ang mabuting paggo-gobyerno dahil dito sa Pasig umaagos ang pag-asa (Here in Pasig, we abandon old ways of doing things, old habits that we know are not right. Here in Pasig, we embrace good governance because here in Pasig hope flows),” he ended.