Got a tip? Send it to us at manila@coconuts.co.
Makati City will find a new supplier for its birthday cakes for senior citizens.
Acting Makati Mayor Kid Peña, who has been in office for two weeks, said a bidding will be conducted soon.
CAKE SEARCH
The cakes have become controversial after critics alleged in a Senate hearing that they were overpriced and that the supplier is related to the Binays.
The Binay camp though has repeatedly denied doing any transactions with the city government.
“Binuksan na po ng inyong likod ang pintuan para sa pagpili ng lehitimong cake supplier na kayang ipagpatuloy at paghusayin ang programang ito. Ang ilan sa kumpanyang pinagpipilian ay tanyag sa kanilang dekalidad na produkto at mahusay na serbisyo. Nais natin kumuha ng bago, subok at mapagkakatiwalang bakeshop, na kaya magsupply ng masarap, mas mura at dekalided na mga cake,” Peña said in a speech Monday morning.
The acting mayor earlier told ANC he is interested in sourcing Makati’s cakes from popular bakeshops such as Red Ribbon or Goldilocks.
He said he’d rather tap commercial bakeshops to avoid any controversy on costs.
“Kung ako ang masusunod, hangga’t maaari para wala na lang shadow of doubt sa lahat ng mga bagay na ‘yan, gusto ko iba na lang ang gumagawa ng cake. Gusto namin i-try ‘yung Red Ribbon or Goldilocks,” Peña said.
According to Red Ribbon’s website, a round chocolate mousse cake costs between PHP350 to PHP550 while a chocolate mousse cake in Goldilocks is priced between PHP335 to PHP545.
Makati government currently spends about PHP300 each for the cakes delivered daily to birthday celebrators.
The purchase of the cakes faced controversy last year after lawyer Renato Bondal alleged that the cakes were overpriced.
The allegations were denied by the local government.
The Binays were also linked to Kim Tun Chong, the sole proprietor of a business that supplied the birthday cakes.
The Binay family has denied any involvement in any company that provides services to the local government of Makati.
Peña, meanwhile, said he has no issues with the cake-giving benefit, but he believes senior citizens should get more than just cake on special occasions.
“I’m OK with that pero mas gusto na aside from that, madagdagan pa sila,” he said.
Peña also said his camp is investigating the issue of the Binays’ alleged ties with the current supplier, Cups and Mugs Kitchenette.
DOUBLE PENSIONS
Meanwhile, the acting mayor has also vowed to double the pension of Makati’s senior citizens.
He said his team will do a check to determine the real number of senior citizens in Makati to prevent what he calls “ghost beneficiaries.”
“Dahil kinikilala natin ang senior citizen bilang haligi ng lungsod, paparamihin natin ang kanilang benepisyo. alam nyo naman ang systema ipapanukala sa konseho at sana bigyan ng ayuda, dodoblehin natin ang kanilang pension. gagawin natin na yun may karamdaman, ihahatid na lang sa kanilang bahay yun pension.
Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government has appointed Leo Magpantay as the new acting vice-mayor of Makati.
This article has been re-published with permission from ABS-CBNnews.com.
