Marcos OKs gov't e-marketplace procurement system

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Tuesday approved the e-marketplace procurement system of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

According to Procurement Service - Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) executive director Atty. Dennis Santiago, Marcos wants this platform to be transparent for the benefit of the public.

''So, we’re focusing on the e-marketplace that we will launch around end of July or early August this year to allow for ease of the procurement or ease of procurement in government,'' Santiago said in a Palace press briefing.

''This is also included in the NGPA or the New Government Procurement Act as a proposal and we hope to provide the platform [for] both for sellers and buyers – meaning, sellers, market operators, and of course, government as buyers – to look into products, multiple products in one platform where they can choose, where they can select and, of course, order and actually pay ‘no everything through the system,'' he added.

Santiago further said the President does not want any limitation to openness when it comes to the e-marketplace procurement.

Santiago emphasized that the platform could shorten the process being done during a ''competitive bidding'' procedure.

''Kunyari, sa procurement po ng goods ngayon, shortest period to procure to competitive bidding is around 26 days; pinakamahaba ho, 136 days. Now, with the e-Marketplace, you have products already in the system then the government procuring entities will have to select from those products and then already make an order right there and then,'' he explained.

''So, in one day puwede ho kayong maka-procure ano po,'' Santiago added.

Marcos has certified as urgent the bill amending the Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA). Prior to its certification as urgent, the bill was included in the priority measures of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.

Senator Sonny Angara earlier said amending the two-decade-old GPRA would result in greater efficiency in the implementation of projects, the purchase of goods and supplies, and reducing, if not eliminating, avenues for corruption. —KBK, GMA Integrated News