Virality doesn’t trump procurement rules, CHED says after resolving issue on unpaid souvenirs

MANILA — Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said Tuesday the commission could not set aside government procurement guidelines in a now viral issue over souvenir items related to Association of Southeast Asian Nations events.

Supplier Amianan PH previously reported delayed payments for souvenir items that CHED’s regional office in southern Luzon procured. The matter has since been resolved.

Agrupis said that releasing payment “because it is viral already” could create a precedent for paying suppliers who may not have complied with requirements out of pressure from social media.

“So that is what we are protecting — not protecting anybody else. But we are protecting the government guidelines,” she said.

Agrupis said last week that she would ensure a review of the matter raised by Amianan PH.

When asked for an update on the review, Agrupis stressed the agency is “very careful” in procurement and cannot rush payment unless requirements are met.

“[The] record shows that we pay our suppliers on time. But if there are suppliers that cannot submit or give verification on the documents then, we cannot cut…corners and expedite the payment,” she said.

“To be fair po sa CHED hindi lang po naging agaran ang resolution dahil kinailangang mag-imbestiga,” the owner of Amianan PH said on social media Tuesday, adding the commission notified her over the weekend to set the meeting. 

(To be fair to CHED, they couldn’t resolve it instantly because they needed to investigate.)