Gov’t pushes deal with World Bank-blacklisted Chinese firms

The Philippine government’s tapping of two controversial Chinese companies in the rehabilitation of Marawi City will push through despite the fact that the firms were blacklisted by World Bank (WB) in 2009 for their involvement in a corruption scandal related to a road improvement program in the country.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) law, the two firms, China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSEC) and China Geo-Engineering Corporation (CGC), would only be debarred in joining any public tender if the Philippine government itself blacklists them.

The inclusion of these WB-blacklisted firms in the Bangon Marawi Consortium drew numerous criticisms; one from the Liberal Party who said that “Marawi already suffered enough” and “counting on Chinese contractors with questionable backgrounds to take charge of Marawi City’s rehabilitation” will only worsen the situation.
DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 05/ 24 /18