PPA reiterates transparency and compliance in the procurement of its Body-Worn Camera Project, stating that it followed competitive bidding procedures and includes full surveillance infrastructure for its ports nationwide.
09 OCTOBER 2025 — The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) clarifies the scope and legality of its 2020 Body-Worn Camera (Phase I and II) project amid circulating claims that the ₱168.68 million contract is overpriced and awarded to a supplier with alleged prior deficiencies. The agency emphasizes that all projects of PPA undergo transparent and competitive bidding processes in full compliance with Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.
“Ito pong procurement na ito dumaan po ito sa regular na proseso at gaya ng ibang procurement ng PPA, hindi po tayo nagbabayad ng advance payment. The unit cost cannot be computed by dividing the contract price by the mere number of cameras alone. This includes nationwide connectivity, backend servers, software, training, and system integration.”, said General Manager Jay Santiago
𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘-𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐍 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐒: 𝐀 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬
Contrary to claims that the ₱168.68 million project covers only 164 cameras, the PPA clarifies that the amount includes the entire surveillance and evidence-management ecosystem for deployment across 22 Port Management Offices (PMOs) nationwide and not just camera units.
On the approved Terms of Reference (TOR), the project scope includes:
•164 body-worn cameras with live streaming, evidence-management, and facial-recognition capabilities
•Encrypted software licenses for live streaming and evidence storage
•Docking and charging stations, RFID systems, and 4 TB data servers
•Dedicated 50 Mbps fiber line, satellite communications, and a 24-month satellite subscription
•Installation, nationwide training, and three-year after-sales support
PPA stresses that the project is a complete digital surveillance infrastructure, not a simple camera purchase.
𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐏𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓
After careful evaluation and post-qualification, Boston Home, Inc. was declared the Single Calculated and Responsive Bidder with a bid of ₱168,680,000 which is below the Approved Budget for the Contract (₱170 million). The PPA’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) confirms that all costs are evaluated against prevailing market prices and verified as reasonable. “All documents, including the Bid Evaluation Report and Post-Qualification Report are reviewed and approved by competent authorities in accordance with R.A. 9184”, emphasized by GM Santiago.
𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐃-𝐔𝐏 𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐑
PPA explains that Boston Home, Inc. fully satisfied all eligibility requirements during post-qualification. The supplier’s legal, technical, and financial documents, including certifications from the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) confirming it is not blacklisted by any government entity during the time of procurement in 2020.
Furthermore, Boston Home, Inc. successfully previously completed a ₱217-million similar project for the Philippine Coast Guard, which serves as its Single Largest Completed Contract (SLCC), a key eligibility requirement under the procurement law. “At the time of post-qualification, there were no adverse records or blacklisting orders against Boston Home, Inc. The company met all statutory and documentary requirements”, GM Santiago added.
𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆
PPA reaffirms that the 2020 Body-Worn Camera (Phase I and II) project followed an open and competitive bidding process, not negotiated procurement.
The process included:
1.Public posting of the Invitation to Bid through PhilGEPS and major newspapers
2.Pre-bid conference attended by interested suppliers
3.Submission and opening of bids under BAC oversight
4.Detailed post-qualification, verifying technical compliance and financial capacity
All stages are witnessed, documented, and compliant with procurement transparency and accountability standards.
𝐌𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐗-𝐑𝐀𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒
In a related issue raised, PPA also clarified that the intended procurement of Mobile X-Ray Machines back in 2019 which is distinct from the body-worn camera project was terminated by GM Santiago himself and did not push through.
“Ako po mismo ang nagpakansela niyan dahil po ako mismo ang nag inspeksyon at di ako nasiyahan sa dineliver nila”, GM Santiago said.
𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐀𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐁𝐘 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐒
The Philippine Ports Authority assures the public that all its procurement activities strictly adheres to existing laws and upholds the principles of accountability, transparency, and prudent use of public funds.
PPA reiterates its commitment to improving port security, efficiency, and public safety through modern systems and technologies that undergo lawful, fair, and competitive processes.
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