NAGPASARING si Senador Panfilo Lacson sa planong paglusaw sa Philippine International Trading Corporation (PITC) na nagsisilbing procurement arm ng ilang ahensiya ng pamahalaan upang makatipid ng pondo.

Sa pahayag, sinabi ni Lacson na kailangan nang matigil ang paggamit sa PITC sa pagbili ng pangangailangan ng iba’t ibang ahensiya ng pamahalaan upang makatipid ang gobyerno.

“Utilizing the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) for the procurement requirements of several national government agencies may have to be revisited and stopped, not only to save on unnecessary expenses amounting to billions of pesos in delays and commissions or service fees,” ayon kay Lacson.

Sinabi ni Lacson nang nilikha ang Government Procurement Service, nawalan ng saysay ang mandato ng PITC na unang binuo upang makabili ng gamot kapag may emergency na pangangailangan.

“Since the creation of the Government Procurement Service under the Department of Budget and Management, the PITC may have outlived its purpose. Initially, it was only used to circumvent the procurement of medicines, especially for emergency needs. But later, it has expanded into the procurement of other items like rice,” ayon kay Lacson.

Aniya, kailangan sipatin nang mabuti ng gobyerno ang kahalagahan ng PITC partikular sa pagbili ng bakuna laban sa corona virus 2019 (COVID-19) dahil kukuha ito ng 1 hanggang 4% komisyon, kaya tataas ang pondong gagamitin.

“That said, it is only prudent that the government at least take a long hard look at the involvement of the PITC in the procurement of COVID-19 vaccine,” giit pa ni Lacson. (ESTONG REYES)