BFP’s bidding requirement ‘tailor fits’ certain suppliers, says lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Fire Protection’s (BFP) bidding requirement for fire trucks’ engines, cabs, and chassis favor certain entities, Santa Rosa City Representative Dan Fernandez said.

Based on the 2018 bidding document, BFP requires the brand of engine, cab, and chassis of fire trucks to be available and sold for at least 15 years immediately preceding the submission and opening of bids. In 2021, this requirement increased to 20 years.

In a House Committee hearing on Tuesday, May 30, Fernandez said that this requirement is “tailor-fitting one or two companies.” He said this is not allowed under the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Government Procurement.

In January 2023, House Resolution 724 said that F. Cura and JROG Marketing were among the joint venture entities which have been allegedly receiving “undue advantage” from BFP since 2018. These entities only carry two brands of engines, cab, and chassis: Isuzu and Hino.

With the BFP modernization program, Fernandez pointed out that the 20-year requirement for brands would exclude newly developed products.

In their resolution, ACT Teachers Representative France Castro, Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Representative Raoul Manuel said, “Only bidders with established connections with the exclusive distributors/assemblers of the Isuzu and Hino brands can participate in biddings, excluding in the process other quality brands that may possibly even be advantageous to the government and not as expensive as the favored ones, if only a genuine competitive bidding process is done.”

BFP Director for Logistics Vonrad Fernando Dobluis said that the years of sale requirement is to ensure that the products are of high quality. 

BFP chief Louie Puracan also justified the 20-year requirement as he argued that they cannot try new technologies with no proven track record because they are dealing with the lives and properties of people.

As the House committee’s probe continues, Puracan said they will postpone the bidding for firetrucks this year until the issues in the procurement process and bidding requirements are settled.  

Last May 16, the House panel also questioned the BFP for its procurement practices after it awarded a P1.3-billion fire truck contract to a lone bidder. – Rappler.com