Mayor lashes out at Xmas lighting critics

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan lashed out at critics of the city’s more than P520,000 worth of Christmas lighting which was used to decorate the largest Christmas Tree at the top of Session road and the city’s major streets, saying if they have better proposals, then they should participate in the bidding process.

The local chief executive said the budget for the city’s Christmas lights was around P600,000 which was included as part of the 2012 city budget that was approved by the city council and passed by the Department of Budget and Management.

“We are wondering why we and Rep. Bernardo M. Vergara are being again dragged into the issue of our Christmas lighting when it was subjected to public bidding by the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) where we are not even members,” Domogan said.

He added evaluation and assessment of the winning bidder for the city’s Christmas lighting project passed through a technical working group of the BAC before its bid was confirmed by the BAC proper.

Domogan challenged critics of the Christmas lighting project that if they have better proposals on how to do it, they must submit their respective bid proposals to the BAC for evaluation if they will be able to provide the same quality of Christmas lighting and not to air criticisms through social networking sites or by circulating unfounded, unfair and unverified text messages to the detriment of the noble intention of the project.

“If the critics of the project can do it better, we suggest that they join the public bidding for the projects and if their offer is much cheaper and could deliver the same quality, we will not hesitate to give them the chance provided they comply with the BAC requirements,” he added.

Domogan said the P520,000 expenses of the city government on its Christmas lighting project is smaller compared to expenses of other highly urbanized cities in their respective Christmas lighting and fireworks display activities.

He said he was wondering why there were people who criticized such project when it was intended to provide residents and visitors a chance to feel Christmas.        According to him, the people of the city are intelligent enough to distinguish legitimate criticisms from mere issues involving politics, thus, the city will continue to provide local residents and visitors with simple attractions during the Yuletide season and other special occasions to make them feel the presence of government.

Domogan claimed it is not proper to compare the city’s lighting project to that of the lighting projects of other private institutions in the city because the scope and the quality are different plus the fact that the mode of implementing the same is also done differently, thus, there is no point of comparison/

In the implementation of projects, Domogan explained the city government makes sure that there is

competitive public bidding so that individuals and companies with the best offer will be able to implement them for the benefit of the public.