President Rodrigo Duterte’s proposal to eliminate the bidding process for public work projects should be studied to ensure that the move would remove corruption and hasten projects, some senators said on Monday. Last Sunday, Duterte expressed his desire to resort to a Swiss challenge system, “where a government agency that receives an unsolicited proposal for a project from a private group invites third parties to match or offer a better proposal. Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, meanwhile, stressed that if the President wants the Swiss challenge, the procurement law should be amended. “If PRRD wants the latter, then, indeed, the law has to be amended. ADVERTISEMENTSenator Sonny Angara likewise stressed the need to amend the law, noting the ongoing hearings of the Senate finance committee on the proposed amendments to the procurement law.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer January 29, 2018 06:03 UTC