BACOLOD CITY – The plebiscite for the creation of Barangay Paglaum will not push through next month because the Commission on Elections (Comelec) no longer have time to hold it this year amid preparations for the May 2013 elections.

City Election Registrar Mavil Majarucon-Sia said in an interview with Aksyon Radyo Bacolod over the weekend the Office of the Deputy Executive Director for Operations (ODEDO) sent to their office a faxed copy of the Comelec en banc resolution stating that it is no longer possible to conduct a plebiscite on Dec. 15.

“At this time,  the Comelec is already very busy with the preparations for the May 2013 elections,” she said.

Sia added the resolution also states that all requests for a plebiscite nationwide will no longer be entertained.

If ever a plebiscite will be held, it will be scheduled after the May 2013 elections, she said.

Sia said that she will send a letter to Gemeno Emballa, one of the convenors of the Movement for Effective and Efficient Barangay Governance, the group pushing for the creation of Barangay Paglaum, to inform him about the Comelec resolution.

An ordinance amending the provisions of City Ordinance 37, series of 1987 creates the Barangay Paglaum.

Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairman of the committee on laws, ordinances and good government, had earlier said the ordinance is the result of the public hearings based on the request of the petitioners from Paglaum Village.

The city government has allocated P3 million for the conduct of a plebiscite based on the cost provided by the ODEDO.

Paglaum Village, with a population of about 8,000, is currently part of Barangay Mansilingan, which has 42,000 residents.

The proposed Barangay Paglaum will be composed of Paglaum Village,            Sitio Buri, Haciendas Guanzon, Hojilla, Tanalgo and Miranda, Green Farm, Nieves, De Leon, Garcia, Fortaleza, Martir, Cuison, De Leon, Arceo-Ramos, and

Montinola and Mabesa Subdivision.*NLG

BACOLOD CITY – The Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of Bacolod City has disqualified second highest bidder Metrowaste Solidwaste Management Corp. from securing the garbage collection contract of the city government. 

On Friday,  BAC vice chairman Maphilindo Polvora said the committee members signed Thursday the resolution to disqualify the Metro Manila-based firm.

The decision was based on the opinion of the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB)  although the  Board  did not categorically declare that the BAC disqualify or award the project to Metrowaste.

The GPPB Legal Department pointed out that even if a bidder passed the technical, financial or legal requirement, other factors such as issues pertaining to environmental laws and other special laws can still be grounds for disqualification.

The BAC decided based on the answer of the GPPB to the letter-inquiry of former BAC chairman Goldwyn Nifras, Polvora said.

The letter dated Nov. 9, 2012 signed by GPPB Executive Director III Dennis Santiago was received by the BAC on Nov. 13.

Polvora explained the main reason why they disqualified Metrowaste is because the property it identified as the location of its  transfer station is situated in a residential zone.

City Ordinance 216 prohibits the establishment of transfer stations in a residential area.

Polvora said Mayor Evelio Leonardia will declare a failure of bidding after the BAC will submit their recommendation.

During the bidding last May, the Bacolod-based Dynamic Builders and Construction Co. submitted the lowest calculated bid, but it was disqualified because its permit was only for hauling services.

Dynamic Builders offered a bid price of P69,107,140.40 for the eight-month garbage collection and hauling services while Metrowaste offered P69,910,711.80.

During the post-qualification process, Metrowaste passed the legal, technical and financial requirements but the location of its transfer station was questioned by the BAC.*NLG