GOTCHA By Jarius Bondoc (The Philippine Star) Updated September 05, 2012 12:00 AM
If anything can go wrong ... it already did. Murphy’s Law marked last week’s bidding for navigational aids at the new Laguindingan international airport in Cagayan de Oro City. Takeoff and landing safety risks would hound the facility from hereon.
Construction of Laguindingan is 98-percent completed. It’s time to put in the Instrument Landing System (ILS) and the Doppler VHF Omnidirectional Range/Distance Measuring Equipment (DVOR/DME). The Korean Export-Import Bank is to lend the $13.293 million (P561 million). All fine and dandy.
Problem began when the Korean EximBank changed the bidding rules midstream, and the Department of Transportation and Communications relented. That was last March, when the Korea Airports Corp. announced plans to export its newborn nav-aids. Before that, American and European manufacturers already were preparing to bid.
Suddenly, however, the Korean EximBank imposed that only Korean bidders may join or subcontract, and only Korean products may be supplied.
It may be argued that it’s usual for foreign funders to favor their nationals. But the Laguindingan bidding is ridiculous. There is only one maker of nav-aids in Korea, the monopolistic Korea Airports Corp. KAC may be 32 years old, but its line is to build and operate airports. Only two years ago did it roll out a DVOR/DME, and a year ago an ILS. It launched last April a $180-million nav-aid sales target for the first year of export. The Philippines would be its first customer.
The silliness of Korean exclusivity shows even more in the ten-year minimum warrantee period for the nav-aids. The KAC would warrantee for ten years’ durability and reliability products that have been around for only one to two years.
A folly arose when three Korean bidders came forward. Two of them got product quotations, but with no details, from the same supplier: KAC. The third bragged to be a joint venture with, who else but, KAC. The first two protested KAC’s conflict of interest as their supplier and competitor. But the DOTC bidding managers saw nothing wrong with it.
Thus did the bidding proceed last week, amid ribbing of “Magkano ko riyan?” The punning isn’t so funny, though, given the airport’s safety risks.
Read More
These are today's Suertres/Swertres Lotto tips; Yesterday's results are at the bottom
117
256**
268**
269**
236**
246**
026**
269**
279
289
239
259
336*
399
689*
369**
069*
----
123**
368*
Yesterday's Philippine PCSO Draw Results
For September 04, 2012 Tuesday
EZ2 Lotto
Morning edition 11am: 16-03
Afternoon edition 4pm: 22-17
Evening edition 9pm: 16-11
Winning numbers in exact order
Php 4,000.00 per 10 peso play
Suertres Lotto Luzon Vis-Min
Morning edition 11:00 am: 8-1-1
Afternoon edition 4:00 pm: 8-9-7
Evening edition 9:00 pm: 6-9-8
Winning numbers in exact order
Php: 4,500 per 10 peso play
6Digit Luzon
9pm: 6-8-9-8-7-6
Winning numbers in exact order
6/42 National Lottery
03-30-19-39-20-07
Current Jackpot: Php 9,858,880.80
(1)winner
Winning numbers in any order
Super 6/49 Nationwide Lotto
09-29-23-20-28-41
Current Jackpot: Php 43,635,754.80
(0)winner
Winning numbers in any order
* = Hot Numbers
** = Very Hot Numbers
Social Plugin