The Department of Health (DOH) said that its purchase of ambulances has undergone the regular process of procurement.
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that they were transparent in their procurement process.
“Gusto ko lang ipahatid sa ating mga kababayan (I just want to say to our citizens) that the Department of Health has always been transparent in all of our transactions,” Vergeire said on Friday, Sept. 3.
“Meron din kami nung bids and awards committee dito sa ating DOH at dumaan po sa proseso itong pagbili ng mga ambulansyang ito (We also have a bids and awards committee here at DOH and the purchase of ambulances went through the proper process),” she added.
The Senate is set to investigate the DOH’s procurement of ambulances to look if these were “overpriced.”
Vergeire said that the DOH bought Type 1 ambulances, which were equipped with medical machines and medicines. The procurement cost also covered training for drivers and healthcare workers who will man the ambulances, she added.
“Ito po ay isang complete package nung nilagay natin sa specs natin at yung presyo na binigay natin diyan at nakuha natin ay lowest calculate bid po iyan. Pinadaan po iyan sa proseso ng aming bidding and awards committee (It is a complete package on what was stated in our specs. Also, the price that we got was the lowest calculated bid. That went through the process of our bidding and awards committee),” said the DOH spokesperson.
“Again we are very transparent in this process and our documents are posted in PhilGEPS at ang mga ambulansyang ito ay nagagamit na po ng ating implementing units (and these ambulances are already being used by our implementing units),” she added.