Amenah Pangandaman, Budget Division — Photo from DBM
MANILA, Philippines — As part of the government’s anti-corruption push, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Friday launched an e-marketplace, a central government online portal, for all public procurement activities.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman and the Bureau of Procurement Services (PS)-DBM officially launched the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) e-marketplace during a ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.
“Through the e-marketplace, government agencies or procuring entities can now simply ‘add to cart’ or purchase Common Supplies and Equipment (CSE) directly from competent and reputable suppliers,” Pangandaman said.
She added: “With just a few clicks of the mouse, we can now use digital devices to make purchases in the same way we shop on Shopee or Lazada, reducing the cumbersome process of conventional purchases from three months to 60 days.
PhilGEPS component
The DBM said the e-marketplace is committed to modernizing government procurement and is designed to be inclusive, providing opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises, social enterprises and women-led businesses to participate in government procurement.
It added that as a component of the updated PhilGEPS, eMarketplace could help fight corruption by verifying merchants and suppliers.
This ensures that they meet the technical specifications and budgetary requirements set by the procuring entity.
In an interview with the Inquirer, Budget Undersecretary Margaux Salcedo said the PhilGEPS e-marketplace also allows for public contracting, making transactions more transparent. It will also disclose actual ownership, another important step toward transparency and accountability.
The launch of the online marketplace is in line with the government’s commitment to supporting disadvantaged and marginalized groups.
PS-DBM Executive Director Genmaries Entredicho-Caong said the budget department’s central procurement continues to strengthen its mandate to ensure more efficient procurement of CSEs across the government, including local government units.
PS-DBM Deputy Executive Director Rommel Rivera said he believes the e-marketplace can not only serve as a digital tool for centralized procurement but also be a “catalyst for good governance, economic development, and social progress.”
In 2021, PhilGEPS was mentioned in media reports and investigations regarding the Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp controversy and the Duterte administration’s alleged sale of overpriced medical supplies to the government during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An independent investigation by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism based on data obtained from the Philippine Government Procurement and Procurement Department and the Government Policy Procurement Council showed that Pharmally earned 10.85 billion pesos from 15 negotiated contracts related to the pandemic.
IRR readied
The company was founded in 2019 with a paid-in capital of just 625,000 pesos, beating out other vendors, including those with a proven track record in dealing with the government.
The Indian government had drafted the Electronic Market Implementation Rules and Regulations (IRR.
“Indeed, the transformative power of technology is limitless. Despite the challenges, we have embraced positive change. But today, we are more than just accepting, we are pioneers. We assure you that PS-DBM is committed to continuously institutionalizing public procurement reforms to achieve our prosperity agenda. Mag-add to cart na po tayo (Let’s add to cart now),” Pangandaman said.
In July, President Marcos signed the New Government Procurement Law, which updated old procurement rules and made government operations more efficient and transparent.