OSG gave full assistance to DoTC on Naia Terminal 3 issues

This is in reaction to the news item titled “De Jesus quit due to lack of Palace support.” (Inquirer, 5/4/11) The article quoted a “source” as saying that part of the reason Secretary Ping de Jesus and Undersecretaries Ruben Reinoso, Glicerio Sicat and Dante Velasco quit their posts at the Department of Transportation and Communications is that the DoTC cannot move forward on issues surrounding the Naia Terminal 3. The source further claimed that “the DoTC had not received any help from the Office of the Solicitor General in resolving the matter.”

Please be informed that the OSG, as the DoTC’s statutory counsel, has ably assisted the DoTC in resolving Naia Terminal 3 issues and has consistently pushed for the immediate repair of the Naia Terminal 3 to bring it to world-class standards.

Since the third quarter of last year, the OSG has advised the DoTC to immediately subject the repair works for Naia Terminal 3 to open and competitive public bidding. The advice to honor the procurement process was rendered consistent with the government’s commitment to transparency in public transactions, to protect the government’s interests and to ensure that the government acquires the best services for the repairs critical to the safety and operability of the terminal. Had the concerned authorities heeded our advice to immediately bid out the repair of Naia Terminal 3 at that time, the facility would be well on its way to being fully retrofitted.

It is hoped that this will clarify any misinformation and, more importantly, assure the public that the government is collectively working toward a resolution of the Naia Terminal 3 issues in a manner that will protect the public’s interest and will be just to all concerned.

—FR. HILARION BUBAN,
chief of staff,
Office of the Solicitor General,
134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village,
Makati City 1229