DBM investigating if blacklisted business same as gov’t PPE supplier – Palace

September 7, 2020

The Department of Budget and Management is investigating if one of its blacklisted enterprises was similar to a company which it granted to supply personal protective equipment amid the coronavirus pandemic, Malacanang said on Monday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in a virtual press briefing, said following his inquiry with the DBM, he was told that one of the companies which bagged the award for PPE did not appear on its blacklisted firms.

"It turns out that there is an entity which is not a corporation. It's a proprietorship, which is blacklisted by the DBM and they are now investigating if the owner of the proprietorship is also the majority owner of the company," he said.

Roque named the blacklisted company as Ferjan Healthlink Enterprises, but the one which was granted the authority to supply PPE was Ferjan Healthlink Philippines Incorporated.

"Now, after they have verified that the owners of the two Ferjans are the same, the DBM is studying if it can cancel the contract awarded to Ferjan Healthlink Philippines Incorporated," he explained.

Due to health crisis, the government has eased rules in the procurement of goods needed to address the problem.

A report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer said that at least three companies, which the DBM blacklisted, were able to secure P727 million contacts to supply PPE. Celerina Monte/DMS