City Hall to buy “How To Write a Thesis Book” at P3,000 each

May 13, 2008

city council

OVERPRICED BOOKS. Opposition city councilors questioned the purchase price of a How-to book that was pegged at P3,000 each saying this is way too expensive. But they were again outvoted. Story by Lizanilla J. Amarga

City Hall’s move to purchase books pegged at P3,000.00 each for the City Public Library was nothing short of a book scam, opposition city councilors said.

During their regular session, Finance and Ways and Means committee head City Councilor Simeon Licayan pushed for the approval of Proposed Ordinance No. 2008-95 that would authorize City Accountant Wilma Rugay to release the sum of P59,575.00.

The amount was to cover the payment of 20 copies reference books entitled “How to write a thesis, etc.” per Purchase Request No. 013979 dated June 28, 2007 and will be charged to the item MOOE: Textbooks and Instructional Materials Expenses, Books in the 2008 Annual Budget of the Cagayan de Oro Public Library.

Opposition city councilor Teodulfo “Bong” Lao blocked the move by raising questions as to the purchase price and the contents of such how-to book.

He said he had inquired about the most expensive book for thesis -writing at the National Bookstore and was told that it was only pegged around P500.00 to P600.00 for each book.

“We are talking of spending almost P60,000 for just 20 pieces of books putting it at P3,000.00 for each book so even if we peg it at P1,000 each book this is still way too expensive for a how-to write a thesis book,” he said during their regular session.

He added that by agreeing to approve the ordinance, the City Councilor would be making the people pay at most 300 percent more of the original marketplace price of such book if the price for each.

But Licayan answered Lao’s questions and comments by quoting the Purchase Request 013979 and how this was already long overdue considering that this was still issued last year.

Lao objected to the proposed ordinance but he and City Councilor Roger Abaday were again outnumbered.

These opposition city councilors later told reporters that the move constitutes a ‘book scam’ even if the purchase of these books may involve only P60,000 and not millions of pesos of public funds.

“But we have to remember that we are accountable to the people to the last centavo…and if we cannot be trusted with such small amounts how much more with larger ones,” Lao said in the dialect.

Gold Star Daily did a random check with local bookstores and was told that their how-to books such as thesis writing, essays, etc. only have a price range of around P400.00 to P500.00.

They added that they even lower the price when it is their clients are government agencies like that of City Hall knowing that their prices will be compared with other competitors in the market.

Also, they pointed out that though it will not help their employers’ businesses, how-to books with a number of examples, can easily be downloaded over the Internet.

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Written by admin · Filed Under Cagayan de Oro