By Jhelyn Andal

The Puerto Princesa City Council has purchased 13 units of brand new high end model of ASUS laptop last week worth P79, 000 each, amounting to P1.27 million. 

According to Luis Marcaida III, city councilor, the equipment were purchased to professionalize the submission of committee reports in the council as well as to introduce the other councilors to the latest technology. 

“Our councilors have committees that they chair and each committees need to submit reports. Each report na ginagawa ng committee chairman ay kailangang presentable rin kapag ibinigay sa Sangguniang Panlungsod,” Marcaida explained. 

“Alam naman nating ang ibang councilors ay hindi naabutan ang computer age noong kabataan nila. This is the right time para magamit itong computer for their benefit; para rin sa ikagaganda ng trabaho nila and this will be a big help to the city as well,” he added. 

City officials however agreed that the purchase was made without following normal procurement procedures including an open bidding process. 

Reacting to criticisms, Marcaida appealed to the public to treat the purchase as a positive move for the councilors to professionalize their work and to be more efficient.

“These would be used only in our offices or would be taken home kapag gabi na. Of course, it would be more quiet and convenient to work at home,” he told Palawan Sun.

Only the offices of Councilors Rebecca Labit and Jimmy Carbonell at the City Hall have desktop computers. Labit’s office computer, according to her staff, was already defective while Carbonell’s really belong to other department. 

The two newly appointed councilors, Benny Resuma and Marivic Javarez, however, were not included in the budget because it was not expected that they would be appointed immediately. 

Mayor Edward Hagedorn said he has ordered the City Administrator to investigate the reporter purchase. In a radio interview, City Administrator Agustin Rocamora clarified that the transaction has not been completed considering that no payment has been made to the supplier. 

“The risk is still on the part of the supplier,” Rocamora said.