MANILA – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has launched the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) eMarketplace to modernize government procurement.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, along with the Procurement Service (PS) – DBM, unveiled the digital platform in a ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on Friday.
The DBM said the eMarketplace is designed to be inclusive, offering opportunities for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), social enterprises, and women-led businesses to participate in government procurement by simplifying the registration and bidding process.
As the country continues to embrace digital transformation, she said, the launch of the eMarketplace is considered one of many steps towards a “Bagong Pilipinas” (New Philippines), where efficiency, transparency, and sustainability in public service delivery are the norm.
“With the eMarketplace, government agencies or procuring entities can now just ‘Add to Cart’ or directly purchase their common-use supplies and equipment (CSE) requirements from competent and reputable suppliers,” Pangandaman said.
“With only a few clicks, we can now purchase the same way we would shop in Shopee or Lazada using our digital devices, shortening the tedious process of regular procurement from three months to just 60 days.”
The launch of the online marketplace is aligned with the government’s commitment to supporting vulnerable and marginalized sectors.
The eMarketplace, a component of the updated PhilGEPS, helps combat corruption by verifying merchants and suppliers, ensuring they meet the technical specifications and budget requirements set by procuring entities.
PS-DBM Executive Director Genmaries Entredicho-Caong noted that under Pangandaman’s leadership, the budget department’s central procurement has relentlessly reinforced its mandate to ensure a more efficient procurement of CSEs for the entire government, including local government units.
PS-DBM Deputy Executive Director Rommel Rivera expressed confidence that the eMarketplace would work not only as a digital tool for centralized procurement but also as “a catalyst for good governance, economic development, and social progress.”
PS-DBM Deputy Executive Director Philip Josef Vera Cruz said the launch of the eMarketplace is just the beginning, citing the ongoing journey of procurement reform, guided by the provisions of the New Government Procurement Act.
Meanwhile, Pangandaman praised the swift completion of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) draft ahead of schedule.
“Through the collaboration of DBM, the Government Procurement Policy Board – Technical Support Office (GPPBTSO), and the PS-DBM, we now have a draft IRR available for stakeholder comments and inputs, in line with our commitment to incorporating open government values in procurement reform,” she said, noting that the IRR was completed in only a month.
“Indeed, technology’s transformative power is limitless. And despite the challenges, we have embraced positive changes. But today, we go beyond embracing – we are pioneering. We assure you that the PS-DBM is committed to continuously institutionalizing public procurement reforms to achieve our Agenda for Prosperity. Mag-add to cart na po tayo (Let’s add to cart now).”
In July, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed into law the New Government Procurement Act to update old procurement rules, making government operations more efficient and transparent. (PNA)