Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 21) — The Commission on Audit (COA) has recommended that the University of the Philippines (UP) blacklist a telco giant subsidiary over its failure to complete a multimillion-peso digital infrastructure project.
In its latest report on the state university uploaded on its website on July 13, COA said the UP System should impose sanctions on ePLDT, Inc. for an almost six-year delay in the implementation of key components of the eUP project amounting to ₱134.6 million.
The eUP project is intended to integrate and ensure the interoperability of the ICT (information and communication technology) systems across all UP campuses. But its failure to deliver the procured services has supposedly resulted in liquidated damages of almost ₱40 million.
“Thus depriving intended beneficiaries particularly, the students that could have been benefited by the full completion of the project,” COA said.
UP entered into a deal with ePLDT, Inc. in 2012 for the eUP project – which should have been completed by 2017.
Records showed UP issued a final demand letter to ePLDT, Inc. in early 2020 for the remittance of penalties over the failed agreement.
“But no payment and no response were received from ePLDT, Inc. by the University until to this date,” COA noted.
Auditors said the company should be disqualified from participating in the bidding of all government projects if warranted following blacklisting procedures.
They also directed the UP System to exert more effort to demand the delivery of service by ePLDT as per the procurement contract.
Sought for comment, ePLDT said in a statement that it “will discuss and resolve the issue with UP.”
