SA isang malaking hakbang para sa modernisasyon sa mga procurement ng gobyerno, pinangunahan ni Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah “Mina” F. Pangandaman, kasama ang tanggapan ng Procurement Service (PS) ng DBM, ang opisyal na pagbubukas ng Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) eMarketplace.

Ang PhilGEPS eMarketplace ay isang landmark innovation na direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. na agarang ipatutupad.

“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. 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,” paliwanag ni Pangandaman.

Ang nasabing groundbreaking digital platform ay inilunsad nitong Disyembre 13 sa simpleng seremonya sa Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) sa Pasay City.

“With the guidance of DBM, under the excellent leadership of Sec. Mina, the PS-DBM conquered, and we have been relentless since then in reinforcing our mandate as the central procuring arm for common use supplies and equipment for the whole of government including local government units,” ayon naman kay PS-DBM Executive Director Genmaries S. Entredicho-Caong.

Makatutulong ang eMarketplace, isang component ng pinagbuti pang PhilGEPS, na labanan ang korapsyon sa pamamagitan ng pagberipika sa mga merchant at supplier, na sinisigurong nakasusunod ang mga ito sa mga technical specification at budget requirement na itinakda ng mga procuring entities.

Samantala, pinuri rin ng kalihim ng DBM ang maayos na pagkumpleto sa Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) draft bago ang itinakdang iskedyul.

“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… Sa batas, ang sabi doon kailangan within six months matapos ang IRR. Sila po isang buwan tinapos nila ang IRR,” ayon kay Pangandaman.

Idinisenyo ang eMarketplace para maging inclusive sa pagbibigay-oportunidad sa mga micro, small and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs), social enterprises at mga women-led businesses na makibahagi sa mga government procurement sa pagtatakda ng simpleng rehistrasyon at proseso sa pagbi-bidding.

“As we progress, along with digital transformation, we are confident that the eMarketplace will work not only as a digital tool for centralized procurement but also as a catalyst for good governance, economic development, and social progress,” diin naman ni PS-DBM Deputy Executive Director Rommel D. Rivera.

Dahil sa patuloy na pagyakap ng pamahalaan sa mga pagbabagong digital, ang paglulunsad ng eMarketplace ay ikinokonsiderang isa sa napakaraming hakbangin patungo sa “Bagong Pilipinas” na layon ang efficiency, transparency at sustainability sa pagseserbisyo-publiko.

Sa kanyang panapos na mensahe, sinabi ni PS-DBM Deputy Executive Director Philip Josef T. Vera Cruz na magpapatuloy ang mga reporma sa procurement.

“Guided by the provisions of the New Government Procurement Act, the PS-DBM has still a lot in store… as we all work together to reshape the public procurement landscape. The eMarketplace is indeed only the beginning,” sabi ni Vera Cruz.

Nitong Hulyo 2024, pinirmahan na ni Pangulong Marcos at ganap ng batas ang New Government Procurement Act na pinalakas pa ang mga regulasyon sa dating procurement law para matiyak na mas mabilis ang operasyon at transparent ang mga transaksyon sa gobyerno.

“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,” pagtatapos ni Pangandaman.