'Kanya-kanyang bili na lang': Cayetano proposes 'KKB' system of procurement in nat'l budget
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano has urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to consider adopting a policy where government agencies would be the ones to procure for themselves any items or devices allocated for them in the National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Cayetano said this would help reduce corruption among state departments and bidding processes away from corruption.
The government, he said, can simply provide the beneficiaries with an approved amount so they can buy the units themselves, such as laptops for teachers.
The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is currently investigating the alleged procurement of overpriced, but outdated, laptops for teachers. The procurement deal was part of a negotiation between the Department of Education (DepEd) and the DBM’s Procurement Services (DBM-PS).
“Can we study kung pwede ang KKB – kanya-kanyang bili (Can we study if we can adopt a self-procurement process)?” Cayetano said in a manifestation before the Commission on Appointments (CA) during the deliberations on the appointment of Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022.
Cayetano said the purpose of buying in bulk is to get the units at a cheaper price. However, some public official has decided to set aside this practice in order to pocket public funds.
“Kaya nga natin bini-bid na bulto para mas mura. Pero kung ganoon din lang, kung ang ABC (Approved Budget for the Contract) ay 25,000 for laptop, bakit hindi na lang natin bigyan ang teacher ng 25,000, siya na bumili (The reason why we bidded it out is so we can get it at a cheaper price. But if not, if the approved budget contract for a laptop is P25,000, then why don’t we just give the teachers P25,000 and they buy it on their own),” he said.
The senator said this process is in effect, simpler and faster, with the government only requiring to submit a copy of their receipt along with a photograph of themselves with their newly bought unit.
“I just like you to look into and have a discussion about all of this,” he told Pangandaman, whose nomination was later on approved by the CA.