MEMBERS of the City Council on Monday approved a committee on laws recommendation ordering a business process outsourcing (BPO) firm to restore waiting sheds it painted back to their original condition.
In a unanimous decision, council members told SITEL Philippines Corporation they are not confirming the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by Sitel’s vice president for Human Resources Haidee Enriquez and the city represented by Mayor Mauricio Domogan.
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The MOA inked by SITEL with the city concerns the upkeep and maintenance of various waiting sheds in Baguio including the provision of appropriate work vests for city street sweepers and garbage collectors.
The MOA covers waiting sheds in barangays DPS near the Panagbenga Park; Harrison Road in front of Tiong San Department Store; Marcoville near Victory Liner; Phil-Am; Salud Mitra 1 in front of Mabini Elementary School and another in front of the barangay hall; Session Road Gov. Pack St. near Jollibee; near Baguio General Hospital; Dr. Carino St.; in front of Quezon Elementary School; Kisad Rod near Starwood Hotel; Leonard Wood Road in front of the Court of Appeals Compound; near the Department of the Interior and Local Government; near People Support; and Upper General Luna Road near 50’s Diner.
However, previous council investigations revealed the BPO firm allegedly did not follow specifications in the MOA by painting its logo and other advertisements on the waiting sheds.
More than 15 waiting sheds as reported by the City Building and Architecture Office, some not in the MOA, were also repainted by the firm, the July 11 council investigation revealed.
Elmer Corpuz, sourcing manager of SITEL, told council members in the July 11 session they might have bypassed several provisions in their MOA with the city in the repainting of the waiting sheds by placing not only the logo of their company but also contact numbers and e-mail address which made the repainted sheds look like advertisements of their company.
The firm also allegedly did not follow specifications nor coordinated with City Building and Architecture Officer Engr. Oscar Flores as existing standards only allow colors gray, white and green to be used on painting waiting sheds.
After three months of reminding the firm, committee on laws headed by Councilor Richard Cariño recommended last Monday for the non-confirmation of the MOA for the firm’s failure to comply with the specifications on uniformity of colors and the firm’s failure to submit a reply to the follow-up letter sent by the committee last September 15.
It was noted in the July 11 council session the firm’s sourcing manager Corpuz also promised to repaint the waiting sheds and abide by the specifications stated by the city but three months had past and the waiting sheds were still not restored to its original condition.
With this, the committee on laws ordered SITEL to restore the waiting sheds to their original condition within 30 days from receipt of notice.
Failure on the part of the BPO firm to restore the waiting sheds will oblige the city to restore the waiting sheds to their original condition and charge all restoration expenses to the company with a warning its business permit will not be renewed unless all obligations to the city are settled.
The painting of the waiting sheds resulted to the filing of a complaint against Mayor Mauricio Domogan by journalist and researcher Grace Bandoy last August for and on behalf of Linis Gobyerno and the public interest of the Filipino taxpayer for alleged violations of Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Code Of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees and abuse of authority.
Source:http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/local-news/2011/11/16/council-asks-bpo-firm-restore-waiting-sheds-190998
