The DOH has canceled its procurement of “high-end” 2-in-1 laptops.
The Department of Health (DOH) has canceled its procurement of four “high-end” 2-in-1 laptops worth PHP 700,000 in total.
DOH’s Knowledge Management and Information Technology Service director Dr. Eric Tayag said that the department has canceled the procurement as one Baguio hospital needed funds.
During an inquiry on Wednesday, Tayag told senators that the latest update was that they already canceled the procurement because they’re looking for funds for their CHD (Centers for Health Development), particularly in Baguio General Hospital Medical Center as they needed IT support.
A document from the Department of Health’s Bids and Awards Committee dated August 4 indicated the request for the “overpriced” 2-in-1 laptops.
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Earlier, Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega said that the procurement was put on hold pending the result of further market study and prevailing market price for those “high-end” 2-in-1 laptops.
According to Tayag, his office requested the laptops for their developers as they needed to upgrade the ones they have. Tayag explained that they’re the ones working on a registry, adding that they needed to input and visualize the data for the policymakers.
“Kailangan po namin talaga ng mas upgraded na computer po. Kung hindi po, kung ordinaryo lang, mabagal,” Tayag added.
When asked for the “high-end” laptop brand, Tayag said that they only put the specifications as they weren’t allowed to indicate the brand on the requested document.
The said document went viral after the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged “deficiencies” in the Department of Health’s handling of pandemic funds worth PHP 67.3 billion.
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