Council wants more observers in Bids and Awards Committee

The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance amending Section 153 of Ordinance No. 50, series of 2019 otherwise known as the Code of General Ordinances of the City of Baguio.

Under the proposed amendment, the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall appoint, on rotation basis, one of the members of the committee, when the subject matter of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) proceedings falls within its jurisdiction, to attend a bidding day and act as its official observer in the corresponding deliberations of the BAC, without prejudice to attendance of the members of the Committee on Public Works, who themselves be considered as permanent observers also.

The ordinance authored by Councilor Maria Mylen Victoria G. Yaranon stated that the members of the different council committees should sit in all bids and awards proceedings on matters which are under their jurisdiction.

Further, members of the Committee on Public works may be assigned as permanent observers of proceedings since physical planning is within their jurisdiction.

The ordinance stipulated that the purpose of the amendment to the existing ordinance is in order to inform the entire council of the whole proceedings of the BAC.

Republic Act (RA) 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 provides that the Sangguniang Panlungsod the mandate to generate and maximize the use of resources and revenues for the development plans, program objectives and priorities of the city, regulate activities relative to use of land, buildings and structures within the city, and approve ordinances which shall ensure the efficient and effective delivery of the basic services and facilities as provided for under the same code.

Due to the various roles of the council, the ordinance stipulated that its members are divided into different committees that oversee and formulate policies affecting the various aspects of day to day life in the city.

According to the ordinance, all pieces of legislation on physical planning, construction, maintenance and repair of highways, bridges, roads, alleys, drainage systems, flood control and protection, public buildings and other edifices, riprap connected to roads, bridges or public structures are under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Public works of the council.

Section 153 of Ordinance No. 50, series of 2019 provided that members of the council shall be appointed, on a rotation basis, to attend a bidding day and act as an official observer of the body in the corresponding bids and awards committee without prejudice to the attendance of the other members who themselves be considered as official  observers also. – Dexter A. See