DILG rejects patrol car, ambulance bids amid compliance issues

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) opened public bidding Monday for more than P1.27 billion worth of vehicles intended to modernize the nation’s emergency response system.

The procurement for the Emergency 911 National Office includes motorcycles, patrol cars, and ambulances. The DILG said the fleet is designed to decrease response times during accidents, fires, medical emergencies, and natural disasters.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the bidding process follows a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prioritize transparency and accountability in government transactions.

To ensure public oversight, the department livestreamed the proceedings on its official Facebook page.

During the evaluation led by Undersecretaries Omar Romero and Jon Paulo Salvahan, only the bids for light motorcycles advanced to the next stage.

Bidders for the patrol cars and ambulances were declared ineligible because of incomplete or noncompliant documents.

The procurement package consists of P238.29 million for light motorcycles, P607.21 million for patrol cars, and P434.44 million for ambulances.

Representatives from the Commission on Audit and the DILG Technical Working Group monitored the proceedings to ensure procedural integrity.

The DILG said the additional vehicles will significantly strengthen the operational capacity of the 911 system, providing more dependable service to communities nationwide.

Remulla stressed that public trust is built when government funds are used properly and every process is done fairly and according to the law.

The agency also cited that the strict disqualification of noncompliant bidders reflects its commitment to a rigorous and clean procurement process.