DOTr Reiterates Strict Observance of its Bidding Processes

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Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade reiterated his directive to DOTr officials, as well as to interested parties in all projects of the Department, that he shall enforce strict observance of bidding and procurement processes, and shall not entertain nor tolerate discussions and negotiations that are not prescribed under the law.

The Transportation Chief likewise stressed his principle of not meddling with the affairs of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).

“The BAC should be an independent body from the Secretary. I will not allow anyone to discuss with me projects that are undergoing procurement. I will only be open to official discussions once the procurement process has been finalized, and complete documentation is already on my table. Maging strikto tayo sa pagsunod sa proseso para hindi tayo mabahiran ng korapsyon,” Secretary Tugade said.

Last May, the DOTr has started the online livestreaming of procurement processes for all projects of the Department to promote transparency, accountability and good governance.

Since its activation, DOTr has livestreamed a total of twenty-nine (29) projects, twenty-one (21) of which were covered during the Pre-bid Conference, while eight (8) projects were covered during the Opening of Bids. The online livestreams can be seen in the official DOTr Facebook page.

Secretary Tugade has urged the public to monitor and observe the Department’s bidding and procurement proceedings and to report any anomalous incidents.

“I am serious with my no-corruption campaign inside the DOTr. I encourage everyone to remain vigilant in our fight against the corruption. Isa man dito ang mahuli ko, lalagutin ko,” Secretary Tugade said.

DOTr Secretary Tugade Directs Heightened Security Measures in All Transport Hubs

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Mandaluyong City, Philippines—Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur P. Tugade yesterday ordered his key officials to put in place heightened security measures in all transport hubs in the country, and emphasized that public safety is the topmost priority of his administration.

The Transport Chief stressed the need for consistent visibility of security personnel in transport facilities to prevent untoward incidents and to deter lawless elements from conducting activities detrimental to passengers.

 “Let us be visible and vigilant in the service of country...para sa Pilipino at Inang Bayan,” Secretary Tugade said.

In response, Undersecretary for Aviation Capt. Manuel Antonio “Skee” Tamayo yesterday directed aviation authorities to post sufficiently armed roving uniformed and covert security personnel within the premises of all airports and other installations. Immediately, Manila International Airport (MIAA) General Manager Ed Monreal implemented the directive at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Complex.

“Let’s do this in all airports— parking, arrival, lobby, departure, check in, immigration, boarding, waiting and greeting areas. We must have roving organic and security personnel,” Sec Tugade said.

The Transportation Secretary likewise underscored the need for all security personnel to always be on alert and adopt the “buddy system” while roving.

“Walang guwardiyang pa-upo-upo at pabanying-banying. No personal calls,” the Secretary emphasized.

Secretary Tugade’s order on heightened security in all transport facilities is in light of the security threat posed by the Maute Terrorist Group, which has besieged Marawi City and resulted in the President’s declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao.

It may be recalled that the Transportation Chief, through Department Order (D.O.) No. 2017-008 dated June 5, 2017, has put the control and supervision of security operations in all seaports nationwide under the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Check Out Twitter's New Look!

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Last year, we told you exactly who we are (Twitter is what’s happening!) and refreshed our brand. Today, with lots of feedback and ideas from you, we’re refreshing our product too and making it feel lighter, faster, and easier to use. We listened closely and kept what you love. And for the things you didn’t, we took a new approach to fix and make better.

These are some of the changes rolling out across twitter.com, Twitter for iOS, Twitter for Android, and Twitter Lite over the coming days. Here’s what people will see:

●       Profile, additional accounts, settings, and privacy – all in one place! A new side navigation menu and fewer tabs at the bottom of our app = less clutter and easier browsing. You told us you loved this change on Android last year and we’re excited to now bring it to iOS.

●       Links to articles and websites now open in Safari’s viewer in the Twitter app so you can easily access accounts on websites you’re already signed into.

●       We’ve refined our typography to make it more consistent, and added bolder headlines to make it easier to focus on what’s happening. Also, rounded profile photos make it clearer to see what’s being said and who’s saying it.

●       More intuitive icons make it easier to engage with Tweets – especially if you’re coming to Twitter for the first time. For example, people thought the reply icon, an arrow, meant delete or go back to a previous page. We switched to a speech bubble, a symbol most know and love. We also made the icons lighter for more seamless interaction.