QUEZON CITY, Philippines — Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla assured the public that the procurement of Unified 911 emergency response equipment was conducted transparently, without kickbacks or illegal transactions.
Remulla emphasized that the acquisition followed a fair and competitive bidding process, with costs aligned with current market values.
”Madalas, sa laki ng pera sa gobyerno ay pinag-iinteresan na ‘yan. Pero tingnan n’yo ang record ng PNP (Philippine National Police), BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection), at DILG. Ngayon, itong mga motor ninyo, tingnan ninyo ang bid price n’yan at tingnan n’yo ‘yung winning price, at tingnan n’yo sa market price. Kasama lahat ng kagamitan, wala kayong makikita ni piso na pumunta sa bulsa ng sinumang pumirma sa mga kontrata niyan,” Remulla said.
Since taking office, the DILG chief has advocated for stricter transparency and accountability across all attached agencies, promising to investigate any corrupt activity regardless of an official’s position.
Among his recent measures is an investigation into more than 200 BFP personnel linked to an alleged slot-selling scheme within the bureau.
To further eliminate corrupt intermediaries and cut expenditures, Remulla highlighted a government-to-government agreement with South Korea to procure fire trucks.
”Dati, umaabot sa ₱16 million ang isang fire truck. Dahil sa ating pagtutulungan at government-to-government transaction with South Korea, napababa natin ito sa ₱10-million kada fire truck,” Remulla explained.
The department is preparing to acquire 1,500 additional fire trucks and 800 service vehicles to enhance emergency response capabilities across the country.
Remulla urged members of the PNP and BFP to maintain integrity and provide dedicated service in exchange for taxpayers’ support.
”Kung ano ang para sa tao, bibigay natin. Kung ano ang binabayad sa atin na suweldo, itrabaho natin. Kung ano ang pera ng tao, kung ano ang nasa kaban ng bayan, i-ayon natin at ibigay natin ang lahat sa serbisyo,” Remulla added.