BACOLOD City Councilor Renecito Novero confirmed that speech laboratory supplier Nikka Trading will install the equipment in the city’s 22 public high schools anytime next week.
Novero, chair of committee on education, said the Department of Education (DepEd) has agreed to accept the equipment during the conciliation meeting held last week.
It was attended by the 22 school principals, district supervisors, division superintendent, representatives of Nikka Trading, personnel from City Legal Office, Accounting Office, City Treasurer's Office, Bids and Awards Committee, and the City Mayor's Office.
He said the school principals agreed to install all the equipment already delivered by Nikka Trading to various schools.
In July, Novero held a committee hearing in probing the acquisition of 22 sets of K to 12 Interactive Language Laboratory for the 22 public high schools where they recommended to supplier Nikka Trading and recipient DepEd to have a final conciliation conference.
This after, the supplier delivered 31 computers per school, but not in accordance with the specifications requested by the DepEd.
Schools Division Superintendent Cynthia Demavivas had sent a letter addressed to former Mayor Monico Puentevella stating that Nikka Trading delivered computer packages, not speech laboratory sets as indicated in their purchase request.
The previous administration has already issued a check worth P38,683,507.50 as payment to Nikka Trading, but it was withheld when the transition team of Mayor Evelio Leonardia discovered the transaction.
In May, Nikka Trading delivered the equipment to various schools in the city, but Novero said the materials were received by the school representatives only for the purposes of storage.
Demavivas had earlier said she will not accept the speech laboratory equipment until supplier Nikka Trading will comply with the purchase order requirements.
Novero said the Nikka Trading also assured that they will comply their obligations based on the contract.
“The Nikka Trading also pronounced that there is a lifetime warranty on the software component and a two-year warranty on hardware component,” he added.
It was agreed that Nikka Trading will not be paid until they complete the installation, training, seminar, and testing.
The supplier also agreed to replace the defective delivered units.
Novero said he will submit a supplemental report based on the conciliation conference, and will ask the City Council to pass a resolution approving the report that will be submitted to the City Mayor's Office and the City Legal Office.
