ILOILO City – The supplier of the P3.5-million chicken dispersal project of the city government is reportedly having difficulty delivering fowls.
City Administrator Hernando Galvez did not discount the possibility that Foodwealth Agro-vet Trading may be blacklisted and its contract with the city government suspended or even cancelled.
“The (Bids and Awards Committee) can recommend to the mayor what actions to take against a defaulting supplier,” said Galvez.
Last year, Foodwealth Agro-vet Trading was accused of delivering chickens that did not meet the specifications in the project’s terms of reference. Mayor Jose Espinosa III tasked an ad hoc committee to conduct an investigation.
The committee recommended that the supplier be not paid for August and September 2017 deliveries.
With no proper inspection made during delivery, there was no basis in ascertaining whether the fowls met the minimum specifications, according to Espinosa who approved the committee’s recommendations.
Also, four city government executives – veterinarian Tomas Forteza Jr., agriculturist Romulo Pangantihon Jr., general services officer Joren Sartorio and supply officer Eduardo Vargas – were recommended for disciplinary action for neglect of duty.
Foodwealth made four chicken deliveries last year – Aug. 3, 10 and 24 and Sept. 7.
The chicken dispersal project covered a total of 17,500 native fowls for distribution to select beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
The chicken dispersal was the livestock component of the Integrated Community Food Production Program of the city government funded by the National Anti-Poverty Commission./PN
