SP Cotabato freezes awarding of P10M fertilizer project‏

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Nov. 29 (PNA) – The provincial board in North Cotabato approved on Wednesday a resolution that urged Cotabato Governor Jesus Sacdalan to freeze the awarding of the P10-million organic fertilizer project to a Butuan City-based fertilizer firm.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of North Cotabato used as basis in its resolution the report submitted by the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) in Southwest Mindanao (Region 12), which showed 3K and C Enterprises, the winning bidder, has an expired license to manufacture organic fertilizer.

Its license, according to FPA-12 director Alitha Bornea, expired in October 2007.

Citing as basis Section 8 of Presidential Decree 1144 or the FPA Act, SP presiding chair and Cotabato Vice Governor Emmanuel Piñol said it shall be unlawful for any handler of pesticides, fertilizer, and other agricultural chemicals to engage in any form of production, importation, distribution, storage and sale in commercial quantities without securing a license from the FPA.

“Also, no pesticides, fertilizer, or other agricultural chemical shall be exported, imported, manufactured, formulated, stored distributed, sold or offered for sale, transported, delivered for transportation or used unless it has been duly registered with the FPA or covered by a numbered provisional permit issued by FPA for use in accordance with the conditions as stipulated in the permit,” the law stated.

The provincial government plans to purchase organic fertilizers worth P10 million to be given to farmers as loan assistance.

On November 19, the Bids and Awards Committee of the provincial government announced 3K and C got the project after two of the other bidders failed to submit the necessary requirements.

But Piñol said the winning supplier failed to renew their license as manufacturer and distributor of fertilizers.

When asked by members of the SP during a regular session on Wednesday, Elmer Nepa of 3K and C confirmed they failed to renew their license.

“In effect, 3K and C will be ousted from the bidding which is the normal procedure,” Piñol said in a radio interview.