CHANGES IN PROCUREMENT LAW PUSHED TO BRING DOWN EXPENSES

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is pushing for “further reforms” in the government purchasing of goods and services through revisions of the Government Procurement Reform Act, which became law in 2003.

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said in a statement this was part of discussions with World Bank’s officials.

The government’s economic team is in Washington to attend the annual meetings of the World Bank Group and the

International Monetary Fund.

Savings

“According to the World Bank’s study, the national government can save at least 26 to 29 percent of its total procurement cost, should reforms in the procurement law be implemented,” Pangandaman said.

Pangandaman added that with nearly two decades behind Republic Act No. 9184, the time was ripe for introducing further reforms and reviewing the government procurement process.

“We are seriously advocating this to promote efficiency and sustainability in our public procurement process, as well as to further professionalize our procurement practitioners,” she said.

Technical assistance

According to the DBM, the World Bank committed to provide technical assistance to enable the budget department to efficiently study, plan and implement reforms and amendments in the procurement law.

“The DBM sincerely welcomes the efforts of the World Bank to support the Department’s goal for transformation,” she added. “We are looking forward to engaging our World Bank partners, as we endeavor to work on these procurement reforms.”

Discussions in Washington also touched other prospective areas for cooperation with the World Bank, such as the National Government Rightsizing Program, cash-based budgeting system, Green Procurement and the Budget Treasury Management System.