The Department of National Defense has scheduled the opening of bid documents on May 27, 2016 for two items under the Philippine Air Force’s Radar Basing Support System Project worth P521,648,939.26.
DND’s bids and award committee said the two items (lots) consist of site development, rehabilitation/repairs, new constructions, and other requirements at Mt. Salakot to include Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan (Lot 1) and at the Paredes Air Station in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte (Lot 2).
Both radar stations are facing the West Philippine Sea where the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in Masinloc, Zambales and the Kalayaan Islands Group in Palawan are situated. These territories have either been seized and or being occupied by Beijing through its illegal “nine-dash line” which Manila opposed by filing an arbitration case before an international tribunal. The Hague is expected to issue a verdict in June this year.
The same DND-BAC being chaired by assistant secretary Roy Deveraturda earlier opened the bid for all 3 lots including Lot 1 for P712,659,553.18.
The DND-BAC has yet to disclose who won Lot 1 which has a total budget of P191,010,613.92 for which the opening of bid was slated on Feb. 17, 2016. The budget is for the Gozar Air Station Radar Site and the Philippine Air Defense Control Center Project in Lubang Island, Occidental Mindoro.
The defense department had signed a deal in December 2015 with Israel-based Elta System Ltd. for the procurement of 3 air surveillance radars (possibly ELM 2288 Radar system) worth P2.68 billion to boost its maritime surveillance in the WPS.
The ELM 2288 is reportedly a derivative from the TPS-77 of the United States Air Force.