OVAL STATUS Cebu City acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia (left) inspects the track oval of the Cebu City Sports Center on Monday (May 20, 2024). Garcia issued a memorandum ordering the suspension of procurement activities related to the July 6 to 17 Palarong Pambansa to ensure that all awards are aligned with the Government Procurement Reform Act. CEBU CITY-PIO PHOTO
CEBU CITY – The acting mayor here ordered the immediate suspension of all procurement orders for the upcoming Palarong Pambansa in July.
Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia issued a memorandum on Monday addressed to the city government’s Bids and Awards Committees for Goods and Services and for Infrastructure and Consulting Services, directing them to “defer pending activities related to Palarong Pambansa 2024.”
The order covers activities that include the conduct of bidding, issuance of notices of award or notices to proceed, purchase orders, contracts, and any other activity short of an award.
Garcia said the suspension promotes “good governance and adheres to the principles of transparency and accountability, adding that he wants all contracts aligned with the provisions of Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act and its implementing rules and regulations.
“Tan-awon nako ang gipang-prioritize nila, ang ilang budget. Kay daghan kaayong mga information coming from other offices nga basi’g naay mga items nga dili priority or dili kinahanglan (I will see what they prioritize in the budget. Because there are a lot of information coming from other offices that there were items that are not priority or not needed),” Garcia said in a press conference at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).
The acting mayor clarified the suspension should not affect the other ongoing activities in preparation for the event, including the ongoing construction of the track oval at the CCSC.
During an inspection on Monday, Garcia said he would meet the contractor of the track oval renovation.
“I am still very optimistic the renovation will be finished. It should be finished,” he said.
The multi-event Palarong Pambansa for elementary and secondary student-athletes will be held July 6 to 17.
Meanwhile, Garcia said the July event will be a springboard to foster cooperation needed to promote sports tourism among the tri-cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu, the local chief executive here said on Tuesday.
He added the gathering of the best grade school and secondary student athletes nationwide presents a good opportunity to bolster the tourism industry.
“Among the most important agreement that we have is the sports tourism. When you have 20,000 athletes, school officials, and their families combined will come to Cebu City, can you imagine the potential of tourism that it will bring not only to Cebu City but to the entire province,” Garcia said.
The province boasts of white sand beaches in Lapu-Lapu City, Bantayan Island, and Camotes Island, as well as the adventures in the whale-watching capital of Oslob town.
Garcia said the city is currently in talks with city mayors Junard Chan of Lapu-Lapu and Jonas Cortes of Mandaue, as well as the other local government units’ (LGUs) officials, who want to join the sports tourism program in relation to the Palaro.
Among the events in the Palaro are archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball (5x5 and 3x3), billiards, boxing, chess, dancesports, football, futsal, gymnastics, pencak silat, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, lawn tennis, volleyball, wrestling and wushu. PNA