MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Magandang tanghali, Malacañang Press Corps, at welcome sa ating press briefing ngayong araw, August 22.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led two sectoral meetings today. The first one addressed concerns on missionary electrification where the President ordered the continuation of the expansion of our national grid by approving the inter-island connection of Palawan and Mindoro islands.

In addition, there are 125 stand-alone islands served by small power utility groups. For these, the President ordered the exploration of renewable energy sources not just limited to solar energy but other green technologies as well. He ordered for all new renewable energy sources to be more holistic in outlook, to look beyond supplying power to households and to support the growth of industries in the countryside. This is all in keeping with the President’s goal to achieve 100% electrification which he mentioned in his recent SONA.

The second sectoral meeting focused on proposed amendments to the Government Procurement Act and we have with us, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, to answer your questions on the proposed amendments to the Government Procurement Reform Act in detail. So good afternoon, ma’am, and let me start with the question, Secretary Pangandaman. The country recorded a slower GDP growth in the 2nd Quarter of this year. What are your thoughts on this and what are the primary reasons for this?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Again, good afternoon. Good afternoon to our media friends.

If you will remember po during the time when NEDA Secretary Arci Balisacan reported on our GDP growth for second semester, bumaba po siya – and one contributor po kaya bumaba po iyong ating GDP is iyong government spending. So, bakit government spending? Based on our program po – we have a medium term fiscal framework – nakalagay po diyan lahat iyong supposedly gagastusin natin at a given period of time.

So, for first semester po—first po, what is underspending? Underspending is defined as the difference of the program disbursements from actual disbursements. So, if we will look at the data for first semester of this year, mayroon po tayong negative na 170.5 billion pesos po. Meaning, the national government agencies po was not able to disburse 170 billion pesos po of available funds kaya po bumaba po iyong ating—iyong contribution po ng government spending to our GDP was reduced.

Based on our data po, if we only were able to at least disburse 65 billion pesos – so meaning hindi po negative seven iyong government spending natin, magiging zero lang. Dapat po ang ating GDP growth is 5.3%. So with that, you will see po kung gaano kaimportante iyong budget that we provide for the national government and how important din po that the national government, the people from the—our government personnel are able to plan and implement the projects on time. So, iyon po.

So with that, naglabas po tayo ng circular last August 9 directing all agencies to provide catchup plans po para they will be able to implement their projects moving forward. And among the recommendations po is that, we need to amend the GPRA – Government Procurement [Reform] Act so that—if you know po during the State of the Nation Address of the President, PBBM, in line with his brand of transformative governance urged the Congress to enact a new government procurement law to make it more attuned to this changing times.

So today, we presented to the President during the Cabinet sectoral meeting our proposed amendments to the government procurement law. Please note po that Republic Act 9184 or the “Government Procurement Reform Act” was signed into law 20 years ago, last January 10, 2003. The GPRA was envisioned to address the lack of transparency and competition, eliminate collusion and political interference and lessen delays in the procurement process. GPRA was one of the biggest anti-corruption laws in the country which was in fact recognized by no less than the World Bank as a world-class legislation.

However, there has already been rapid transformation in technology over the past two decades – and the pandemic propelled the urgency for digital transactions in the country. That’s why our President is correct – that we need to make government procurement more attuned to our changing times.

Procurement affects us every day, not just us in the government but the Filipino people. Procurement issues have an adverse impact in public service delivery. We have also been hounded by controversies linked to the Philippine Procurement System. Of our total national government budget, up to 25% po diyan is done through procurement. So for this year, our total budget is 5.268 trillion, so it’s roughly 1.3 trillion pesos. So it’s quite a huge amount. These are the reasons that this reform has become necessary albeit tedious. And so, we hope that the creators of this very good law by making it attuned and responsive to the needs of the day. [sic]

I have here with me GPPB Executive Director Atty. Rowena Ruiz and PS-DBM Executive Director Atty. Dennis Santiago and the DBM Chief of Staff, Atty. Leo Larcia who will give more details of our amendments.

But generally po, iyong amendments po natin—sorry, you have to bear with us dahil medyo makapal po ang GPRA and then there’s a lot of amendments na kailangan po ‘no. It was divided into six items: First, innovative procurement methods – meaning, dinadagdagan po natin iyong mga possible ways on how to procure. Sa dati po nating batas, although for those who knows, sa GPRA po natin, mayroon po diyang provision that the GPPB (Government Procurement Policy Board) can issue IRR. So meaning, kaya po niyang baguhin iyong mga ibang provisions para po mag-adapt. But then, I think marami na po doon ang kailangan nating i-institutionalize, so we will put it in the amendment.

Second, efficiency in the procurement process – so alam po natin na iyong procurement process, parang napakarami pong mga steps na kailangang daanan iyong ating mga BAC and members ng TWG. So part of it, puwede po natin i-streamline iyong proseso.

Next, procurement planning and budgeting – again, ito po… pinakaimportante, hindi po tayo makakapag-procure kapag hindi po tama ang pagpaplano, ang market research natin para mabili natin iyong mga goods and services. ‘Pag hindi po tama ang pagpaplano natin, magri-result lang po iyan ng failed bidding; ‘pag nag-fail bidding po tayo, tatagal… hindi po natin mabibigay kaagad iyong serbisyo para sa taumbayan.

Digitalization and innovation, of course the use of technology – parang Lazada at Shopee po, later po explain nila kung paano iyong concept noon.

Green procurement – we will incorporate this to the law para po iyong mga bibilhin nating mga goods and even services ‘no, may green specifications po. Kasama po ito sa ano natin, for sustainable development.

And last po, there are miscellaneous provisions that needs amendment in the law. So maybe I can – ma’am? Maybe I can give the floor to experts here before we go to the questions po para magbigay lang po sila ng mga examples ng mga revisions natin sa law. Thank you.

PS-DBM EXEC. DIR. SANTIAGO: Thank you, Secretary.

Iyon pong amendment sa batas natin ano na lagi hong nababanggit, the lowest calculated responsive bid – doon daw tayo palagi sa lowest, sa cheap, pinakamura pero hindi naman maganda ano. So we’re looking at an area wherein we can advance this and improve ‘no, the evaluation methodology – we now call it the Most Economically Advantageous Bid or the MEAB ‘no.

Hindi po ito bago sa atin, existing na rin po naman ito kaso nga lang ginagamit siya sa consulting services procurement. Now, we will apply to goods and even in infrastructure where we make use of percentages. There is a certain percentage sa technical aspect; there’s a certain percentage on the financial aspect, and you put them together, you have the highest rated bid, the most economically advantageous tender.

Isa pa pong i-introduce natin, iyon pong konsepto ng direct acquisition, ano po. Sa mga maliliit na value ng mga produkto na hindi naman ho kailangang ipa-bid pa. Minsan ho, halagang sampung libo, minsan may nagpapa-bid sampung libo, so pupuwede na hong dumiretso doon sa source provided iyong source po ay legally, technically and financially compliant doon sa requirement ng procuring entity. This will put forth efficiency because iyong mga bagay-bagay na dapat sina-submit for competitive bidding ay hindi na po gagawin iyon, bagkus gagawa po ang procuring entity ng sarili pong technical requirements and then will approach the appropriate market operator to provide the goods.

Another modality po sa procurement will be iyong tinatawag ho natin na unsolicited proposal coming from the private sector. Narinig ninyo na po ito. Minsan maganda iyong produkto namin, bakit hindi nanalo? Maganda iyong inu-offer naming equipment, bakit hindi nanalo? So this time around, private sector can come to government and then say, this is a good product, you may want to look at it, and then, of course, we will subject it to challenge. Ito pong ganitong konteksto ay hindi na po bago sa atin dahil mayroon po itong ganitong pareho na idea sa public-private partnership.

So ito po iyong mga bagay-bagay, ilan lang po sa mga ii-introduce nating mga amyenda dito po sa ating Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

MS. DAPHNE OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Anything you also want—?

GPPB-TSO EXECUTIVE DIR. RUIZ: Isa rin po sa—katulad po sa nabanggit ni Secretary kanina, we will be enhancing procurement planning. Wala pong procurement na magagawa kung wala po tayong tamang pagpaplano. However po, sa ating existing na batas, isang provision lamang po ang mayroon sa planning. We want to make planning also strategic. Sa amin pong pag-aaral, ganoon din po sa pag-aaral ng World Bank noong 2019, kadalasan pong nagkakaroon ng failure ng bidding kasi hindi po tama iyong pagpaplano. Minsan po kasi or kadalasan, ang mga procuring entities, gusto lang po nilang makapag-bidding. So nagiging transactional po ang ating pagpo-procure sa gobyerno.

Dapat po kasi ang bidding is strategic – ano po ang ibig sabihin noon? Dapat po tinitingnan natin iyong kabuuan ng ating pagpo-procure. So minsan po maririnig natin, may na-procure pero sobra pala – nasisira, nai-expire – kasi walang tamang supply positioning. Ilan ba talaga iyong kailangan ko? Kadalasan din po naririnig natin, magpo-procure tapos later on, wala na po palang supplies na available, so bibili ulit po tayo ng bagong equipment, bagong bagay kasi hindi natin tinitingnan iyong kabuuan po ng ating ipo-procure.

Kasama po doon sa mga tools and approaches na ilalagay natin sa batas ay iyong paggamit din po ng mga nagagawa na po natin ngayon base sa mga inisyu ng GPPB na rules. Isa po diyan iyong framework agreement na ginagamit na po ngayon ng DSWD.

Ano po iyong framework agreement? Basically po, mayroon tayong gustong bilhin, hindi natin alam kung kailan kailangan pero sigurado tayong kailangan natin siya. At the same time, very costly po sa atin kung tayo po ay mag-i-stock ng mga items na iyon. Kaya po ito [ang] ginagamit ng DSWD sa prepositioning ng ating mga relief goods. So ang mangyayari po, we can engage with one or several suppliers, and then kapag kailangan na natin, doon po tayo magkakaroon ng call off. Gagamitin din po dito ay public bidding.

Isa rin pong tool para mas maging strategic ang procurement natin ay iyong early procurement activity. I’m sure narinig na po ninyo iyon. Iyong early procurement activity po: Wala pa pong budget, basta mayroon na pong proposed budget, maaari na po tayong mag-start ng procurement. Kukumpletuhin po natin iyong procurement short of award – hindi pa po tayo mag-a-award hangga’t walang approved budget. Bakit po? Para po iyong mga kailangan natin during the first quarter, even during the first semester, kapag po napasa na ang batas as early as the first working day, maaari na po tayong mag-award kasi mayroon na tayong budget. Iyon pong bulk ng ating procurement activity ay ginawa na po natin the year before.

And siguro po, maganda rin pong madagdag as part of strategic procurement planning iyong kailangan po nating i-professionalize ang procurement practitioners sa ating bansa. Napakalaki po nang binibigay nating responsibilidad at accountability sa ating BAC TWG at secretariat. However, alam ninyo po ba na ang BAC TWG at secretariat ay add-on function lamang. Hindi po lahat ng mga ahensiya ay may sariling procurement office or unit na gagawa ng mga procurement activity. Ang atin pong BAC members ay hindi po lahat nakaka-receive ng honorarium dahil add-on lang din po iyong trabahong ginagawa nila.

So dahil po high-risk at very vulnerable po ang pagpo-procure for obvious reason, kailangan po nating suportahan ang professionalization. Gagawa po tayo ng mga positions na nararapat sa procurement. Hindi po katulad ngayon na panay po admin officers ang position sa procurement; kailangan po, mayroon tayong posisyon for planning, for selection, for inventory management and, of course, for the general management of the procurement activity. So iyon po. Salamat.

DBM SECRETARY PANGANDAMAN: And maybe si Atty. Dennis Santiago can also briefly give us a description of iyong e-Marketplace po natin.

PS-DBM EXEC. DIR. ATTY. SANTIAGO: Thank you, Madam Secretary. Iyon pong e-Marketplace ‘no, but before I explain that, isa pa doon sa efficiency na gusto naming isulong ano po, iyon pong tinatawag na … iyong eligibility requirement to make it more, you know, efficient dahil iyong eligibility requirement natin ngayon, ang daming nagpi-fail sa bidding na mga bidders because they failed to comply the legal, the technical, the financial eligibility. So this time around, we will simplify it. We have one document. It’s happening already. We have the PhilGEPS certificate of registration and membership.

Iyong PhilGEPS certificate of registration and membership, kapag sinabmit po ng bidder iyon, iyon na po iyong pinaka-eligibility qualification niya. So wala na hong reason bakit siya magpi-fail because registered naman siya sa PhilGEPS but, of course, subject later on to post-qualification.

Now, talking about PhilGEPS, ano po. Marami pong features ang PhilGEPS – mayroong virtual store, mayroong e-catalog. Iyong isa pong ipapasok ho natin ay iyon pong tinatawag na e-Marketplace. Ipa-pilot po natin iyan soon sa mga motor vehicles; ilalagay ho natin iyong mga sasakyan, kung anu-ano pong brand iyan, kung anu-anong klaseng sasakyan, may limit po sa threshold. Ang procuring entity ay puwede pong bumili through the e-Marketplace.

Say for example, a secretary would like a certain brand, another secretary would like a different brand, puwede pong mangyari iyon basta pumasok po sila roon sa limit set forth by DBM, iyon pong tinatawag na … iyon pong threshold amount to procure the motor vehicle and compliant din doon sa technical requirement. So mangyayari po ito as a feature of the PhilGEPS. And then moving forward, hopefully, iyong mga ibang produkto naman po ang maipapasok sa e-Marketplace where procuring entity can directly buy. Ang mawawala po rito ay iyong mahabang proseso ng pagbi-bid, okay, because they will buy directly from the e-Marketplace, ano po. May mga produkto po na ilalagak po doon coming po sa market operators or market suppliers, and then, mga procuring entity ay doon na po bibili.

We will have a mechanism to qualify kung sino po iyong tamang produkto o ano po iyong tamang produkto at sino po iyong mga tamang suppliers. So in the next few days po or few months, we will come up with our guidelines on this, ano po. Maraming salamat po.

MS. DAPHNE OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Thank you for that brief. Shall we open the floor to questions now? Alvin Baltazar, PBS.

ALVIN BALTAZAR/RADYO PILIPINAS: Secretary, magandang hapon po. Secretary, of course, dadaan ito sa—since amendment ang pinag-uusapan, dadaan ito sa Kongreso. Ano po ang take dito ng Congress? Nakipag-usap na po ba kayo sa Congress? Supportive po ba sila doon sa amendment?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Kung nakipag-usap po, many times na po. In fact, we were able to attend their … sa House consultation, sa House hearings. And nabigay din po namin iyong position namin on several amendments that they proposed. But then po, during our meeting po with the President, we were directed to have a consolidated amendments to the existing GPRA po that we will present to House and the Senate. So isusulat lang po namin nang maayos ito in a form of an amendment doon sa mga provisions, sa mga existing provisions, and then we will sit down with the House and Senate counterparts po.

ALVIN BALTAZAR/RADYO PILIPINAS: Secretary, follow up lang po doon sa underspending. Kung halimbawa, ma’am, iyong isang government agency, hindi pa rin nakakatugon doon sa tamang paggastos sa kaniyang budget, ano po ang mangyayari dito, Secretary Pangandaman?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Tatamaan po iyong future budgets po nila, ang [budget] proposal po nila. But during our meeting last week the President, nandoon po iyong mga agencies, mga departments po na medyo hindi makahabol, and all of them naman po, they committed to the President that they will fast track the implementation of their projects and programs.

ALVIN BALTAZAR/RADYO PILIPINAS: May ranking po ba tayo as far as absorptive capacity, Secretary?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Ay, mayroon po. Saan nga ba iyon? Hindi ko nadala yata. As of June 30, 2023 ito po iyong five departments – DICT, ang obligation rate po niya is only 9.2%; Comelec po, 26.1%; DAR, 28.9%; DSWD, 34.2%; and DOE with 34.3% – iyan po.

ALVIN BALTAZAR/RADYO PILIPINAS: Salamat po.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Alexis Romero, Philippine Star.

ALEXIS ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: Secretary, just to clarify. Iyong five agencies you mentioned, those are the agencies that need catching up meaning sila iyong may underspending, tama po ba?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Sila po iyong at least iyong nasa top pero iyong circular po na binigay natin ay sa lahat po iyan ng ahensiya ng gobyerno.

ALEXIS ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: So, they are the top agencies in terms of underspending?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Iyong obligation rate po nila ay mababa – ibig sabihin, nabigay mo na po iyong allotment nila kumbaga iyong SARO po kasi kapag mayroon ka na noon ay puwede ka nang mag-bid. Malaking portion pa po noong pondong iyon ay hindi pa po nao-obligate, meaning hindi mo pa nabi-bid.

ALEXIS ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: How many agencies po iyong may ganoong problem, iyong may underspending?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: May ranking naman iyan. Iyong ibang agencies naman matataas pero may mga agencies na talagang below 30% pero wala pa namang agency na well kahit papaano ay naka-100% ng obligation rate but then if you look at it on average for all the agencies, it’s 32% ang obligation rate as of June 30.

ALEXIS ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: Okay. Sec, you mentioned iyong mga proposed amendments, in general, how can these amendments cure iyong problem ng underspending in the government given that you mentioned it’s one of the reasons why we had a slower growth during the second quarter?

PS-DBM EXEC. DIR. SANTIAGO: Madam Secretary, iyon pong efficiency kasi sa procurement natin lagi hong sinasabi nila, bumabagal ang procurement because ang mga bidders will have to prepare like bidding documents, mga bidders kailangang mag-comply sa rules and the procuring entity will have to develop technical specifications, terms of references so mahaba and then mayroong procedures po under the law and the rules na kailangang sundin ‘no. So, dito po tinutukoy iyong delay – sa sobra daw haba noong proseso ay matagal na-deliver ang goods, matagal na-deliver ang services.

So, with the proposed revision we’ll make it more efficient like for example the cost of direct acquisition – kapag mag-comply siya sa legal, technical and financial requirement ng agency they can go directly to the supplier at saka market operator to provide the goods. But of course mayroon pong limit po iyon hindi po siya iyong parang bibili ka na lang basta-basta because that could be subject to abuse. Mayroon po siyang legal, technical and financial parameters that person, that supplier will still have to comply with.

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Kapag magbibigay ka noong sinasabi ngang alternative modalities kasi parang ngayon ang nangyayari although puwede naman, may mga alternative modalities naman. Kapag bumili ka kunwari ng barko, iyong process ng pagbili mo ng isang barko ay same process siya kapag bumili ka ng isang typewriter or isang laptop; so iyong mga ganoon po sa process ang ina-address po natin.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Sam Medenilla, Business Mirror.

SAM MEDENILLA/BUSINESS MIRROR: Going back lang po muna doon sa proposed amendment for the Procurement Act. Bale mayroon na po ba kayong parang target date kung kailan maku-consolidate iyong proposal nila na ipi-present po doon sa Congress at saka kung mayroon na rin po bang initial reaction si President Marcos doon sa mga proposal nila, if he supports it or mayroon pa po siyang gustong idagdag or ibawas doon sa proposal nila?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Siguro we’ll have to write the specific amendments per provision po, just maybe give us two weeks. Opo, kailangan po ng technical writing doon; siguro give us two weeks po para mag-come up na po kami ng mga specific amendments per provision and yes our President po agreed on our amendments except for may mga ilang items lang po na—because kailangan po nating intindihin iyong ating Presidente po nanggaling din po sa…nag-local government unit po siya, so naiintindihan po niya iyong proseso ng procurements. So, he was able to explain po anong mga areas nahihirapan iyong mga katulad po ng mga LGUs at saka iyong mga tao sa gobyerno when they procure, ganoon po.

And then ano po si President doon sa marketplace – gusto niya po talaga ma-develop and ma-institutionalize iyong e-marketplace po natin, iyong e-government platform natin; para pong Lazada or Shopee iyong concept noong platform, ganiyan.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Job Manahan, ABS-CBN Online.

JOB MANAHAN/ABS-CBN ONLINE: Hello po, Secretary. Good afternoon. Other topic naman po regarding sa fuel subsidy – tumaas na naman po iyong presyo ng gasolina ngayon. Kumusta na po iyong pondo natin; around three billion po ito, tama? Kailan po ito target na maipamahagi?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: The funding is available. It’s just that in the General Appropriations Act kailangan pong maglabas si LTFRB ng joint memorandum circular na wala pa po hanggang ngayon. So, we are waiting for that, opo. Kailangan po namin ng kopya, kasi nasa GAA po eh we cannot release without that.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Ivan Mayrina.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA 7: May I follow-up Job’s question. Are there instructions from the President to fast track this given that the price of fuel is on the upward trend and according to DOE mukhang wala pa po tayong aasahang rollback in the next few weeks or even months?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Yes po, in fact when Secretary Bautista called me last week, sinabihan na po namin siya that kailangan matapos na po nila iyong JMC nila and then—wala wala naman masyadong amendment doon sa JMC nila, I think they can use the previous JMC yata and then sign it and then submit to us, we will release the budget.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA 7: And the President, what does he have to say about this, ma’am?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Siyempre po si Presidente gusto po niya kapag nasa budget po kailangan magamit kaagad. So iyon po; sana, mailabas namin kaagad kapag mayroon na po iyong requirement for GAA.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA 7: I’m sorry. Still on another topic, kinuwestiyon po iyong pagtapyas ng budget ng DOH ng hanggang sampung bilyong piso. Pakipaliwanag po bakit nangyari ito.

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Iyong pagtapyas po ng budget ng DOH, karamihan po kasi doon puro mga amendments ng Congress po – additional, meaning Congressional initiatives po – dinadagdagan po iyong MAIP (Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients), dinadagdagan po iyong HFEP (Health Facilities Enhancement Program) – iyong mga buildings and health facilities. So, non-recurring po iyong nature niya.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN.

PIA GUTIERREZ/ABS-CBN: Ma’am, balik lang po doon sa issue ng underspending. Ma’am, aside from delays in the procurement process ano pa po iyong mga reasons behind the poor budget utilization rate ng mga agencies na nakita natin?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Ito po iyong some of the reasons – may substantial outstanding checks recorded as of 10 June 2023 of 124 billion pesos; per consolidated reports of government servicing banks.

Meaning, possible po na ginawa na ng mga ahensiya iyong tseke or payment ng mga programa at saka iyong mga kailangan nilang bayaran, pero hindi pa po siya nai-encash. Iyong reason po, hindi po namin alam; possible na hindi pa nila inilabas, pero napirmahan na nila, ganoon po.

Second, iyong interest payments po, dahil bumababa na po iyong interest payments, ito po iyong bayad natin sa utang natin, bumaba na po iyong interest payment, so bumaba na rin po iyong binabayaran natin, one of the reasons din po. Tapos iyong ongoing implementation of our social protection programs – iyong 4Ps po under DSWD and iyong Tupad Program under DOLE.

Next is the procurement-related difficulties; there are failed biddings, ongoing right of way and site acquisition and utility relocation. This is for our infra department, specifically DOTr and DPWH. Billing concerns from suppliers and creditors, example, iyong (unclear) for CHED, FHE-Free Higher Education for SUCs and TESDA Projects and even NIA Projects. Iyon po.

MARICEL HALILI TV/5: Hi. Ma’am, magandang hapon po. Ma’am, you mentioned kanina na mayroon pong inputs si Presidente when he were presenting the amendments. Can you cite some of the provisions that he would like to amend at saka kung ano po iyong mga particular inputs niya.

PS-DBM EXEC. DIR. ATTY. SANTIAGO: Una po, of course iyong e-market place, para mapabilis at mapadali ang procurement natin, so that iyong platform po na iyon, doon po didiretso bibili ang mga government agencies. Pangalawa po iyong eligibility check, the President agreed na simplehan iyon eligibility checking natin because iyon nga, medyo tedious, maraming documentary requirements. So, this time around, President agreed with a single document, this is the PhilGEPS, the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System Certificate of Registration and Membership.

Iyon pong konsepto ng allowing the market to operate; maganda po iyong konsepto ng Presidente, ibig pong sabihin, i-allow po natin iyong market mag-provide ng prices nila. And then with that, tap that also as the source of information by government procuring entities in coming up with their own approved budget for the contract. Minsan wala pong face-to-face relation, kumbaga naghahanap lang sa internet, hahanap sa Google kung ano po iyong kanilang presyo, anong technical specification, approach the market. Let the market pay out and then let them be your partners.

MARICEL HALILI TV/5: Sir, follow-up po doon sa nabanggit ninyo kanina na kung mababa lang iyong halaga baka puwedeng i-let go na iyong bidding? Base po doon sa inyong proposal, hanggang saan po ba iyong kumbaga ay puwede nang i-let go iyong bidding?

PS-DBM EXEC. DIR. ATTY. SANTIAGO: Opo. Hinahalintulad po namin noong inilabas po iyong RA 9184, ang shopping, ang threshold po niya 250,000 but you have to go and approach the market and secure three requests for quotation. So, tatlo po iyon na iisa-isahin ninyo. Dito rin po sa direct acquisition na tinatawag namin, maaari rin pong ma-peg sa P250,000 or even lower. Basta lang po maumpisahan siya, make the market feel how it is, kasi ho as a matter of fact, kapag ganoon po ang nangyari, baka tumukod din po ang merkado, sa dami po ng demands coming from the government; biggest purchaser po ang government, 18-22% of our GDP is government procurement. So, kapag nangyari po iyon, kailangan po talagang i-limit iyong budget, because ang dami pong demands ng gobyerno, diretso bibili sa mga suppliers. We also have to check our market. So, it could have been 250, it could be a 100, it could to be P50. It all depends on how Congress will act on this.

MJ MONDEJAR/SMNI: Good morning, Ma’am. I will be asking this question in good faith. May mga nananawagan, even last year, iyong sa abolishment po ng PS-DBM, ngayon pong budget season ano po ang stand diyan ng Budget Department? Kasama po ba iyan sa amendments ng procurement law?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Siyempre hindi. In fact, doon sa amendments natin, magiging malaki iyong role ng PS-DBM lalo, especially for common-use supplies. Kasi, in fact, si Secretary Ben Diokno, may sinabi pa nga siya na iyong mga maliliit na ahensiya, sana wala na iyang BAC di ba, wala na iyong BAC kasi bumabagal lang iyong implementation ng mga programa nila, masyado silang—I mean much of their time, napupunta sa procurement, sa pagpo-procure.

Usually naman iyong mga maliliit na ahensiya, ang mga binibili niya, iyan iyong mga common-use eh. So, kapag available po iyan sa PS-DBM, ang ating central procurement agent or agency or office, puwede rin sila bumili diretso doon na hindi na sila kailangang mag-undergo ng mahabang process ng pagpo-procure. Again, of course dapat lahat ito, mayroon po tayong mga safety nets na nakalagay po diyan sa ating batas.

ALEXIS ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: Ipapa-elaborate ko lang iyong konsepto noon e-market. How is it similar to iyong mga online shopping outlets, paano po sila nagkakahawig?

PS-DBM EXEC. DIR. ATTY. SANTIAGO: Actually ho, hawig na hawig, pareho halos iyan. Kasi ang nakikita ninyo po iyong efficiency sa merkado, you have the liberty. During the pandemic, you have the liberty to purchase directly from the source; naging platform po si Shopee or si Lazada, so tayo rin po ay ganoon ang mangyayari. Ang PhilGEPS to the e-marketplace feature, maglalagay po ng produkto roon iyong isang supplier ano po, but of course, mayroon pong mechanisms kaming gagawin para po iyong produkto naman na ilalagay doon ay maganda, maayos at kapakipakinabang.

Alam din naman po natin sa Shopee, sa Lazada, may nabibili rin po kayong hindi maganda. So, as in PS-DBM, ito po iyong tatrabahuin namin na iyong papasok na produkto ho doon ay maging maayos ang produkto at mapakinabangan ng government offices po natin.

ALEXIS ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: So, undergo pa rin ang bidding, paano po ito, add to cart? Paano po iyon?

PS-DBM EXEC. DIR. ATTY. SANTIAGO: Puwede pong may ganoon, sir.

ALEXIS ROMERO/PHIL. STAR: May voucher discounts?

PS-DBM EXEC. DIR. ATTY. SANTIAGO: Mayroon pong ganoong features later on, but ngayon po ang bumibili po kasi diyan ay government agencies. Maglalagak ng produkto, kahit parang consignment po iyan, naka-consign iyong produkto doon, tapos bibilhin ng government agency. Malaking bagay po na dapat nating maintindihan is, hindi lahat ng produkto nila ay puwedeng pumasok doon. Because, kailangan iyong produkto na binibili ng gobyerno, hind lang ho maganda, maayos pati at saka iyong presyo. So, maaari pong later on, we will develop, we will advance towards iyong sinasabi ninyong may coupon, mayroong sort of all those stuff. But right now, we will start with the basics. Ang kailangan po, ang platform na ito, maayos na produkto ang mabibili, may kalidad, angkop at available. Angkop po sa pangangailangan ng gobyerno.

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Siguro magandang amendment po dito sa procurement natin, kasi lagi nating naririnig ang nagiging isyu po ay iyong bakit kasi lowest, responsive, calculated bid, ‘di ba? Iyon iyong lagi, lower calculated responsive bid – bakit laging lowest? Ngayon po sa bago nating ginagawang amendment ngayon, mayroon na iyong MEAT – Most Economically Advantageous Tender meaning, posibleng—kasi iyong kailangan ng opisina depende po iyan. Posible pong si Ma’am Daphne, kailangan po niya ito ng mura, pero iyong isang ahensya po, kailangan niya Panda, iyong isang ahensiya kailangan po ganito, kasi mas tedious iyong gagamitin niya sa pagsusulat niya. So, puwede po niyang gamitin iyong isang avenue, which is iyong MEAT rather than the lowest calculated responsive bid.

It will be mas technical iyong magiging scoring mo ng mga produkto mo, ganoon po. Kunwari sa tisyu, kailangan ko kasi iyong mas makapal eh, iyon ganoon; kailangan ko iyong mas maputi pa dito. So, ganoon po, nasa ahensiya po, kung ano iyong based doon sa pangangailangan noon ahensiya, puwede po niyang bilhin. Hindi lang dahil mura siya.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Interesting examples, Secretary. Okay, Alvin Baltazar.

ALVIN BALTAZAR/RADYO PILIPINAS: Secretary, pasensiya na pero kailangan kong itanong ito eh. Any update doon sa salary increase ng mga government employees? Magiging masaya ba ang kawani ng pamahalaan sa 2024?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Si Atty. Leo Larcia po ang sasagot.

DBM CHIEF OF STAFF ATTY. LARCIA: The study for the Salary Standardization Law is lodged with the GCG, and most recent update nag-fail po siya. So, magpapa-rebid po uli iyong GCG and hopefully we will have study by October.

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: So, magiging maganda ang 2024?

DBM SEC. PANGANDAMAN: Sana po.

MS. OSEÑA-PAEZ: Okay. All right, we’re good? Okay, so thank you so much, Malacañang Press Corp and thank you Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Executive Director Rowena Ruiz, Executive Director Dennis Santiago and Chief of Staff Leo Larcia.

Magandang hapon sa inyong lahat. Thank you.

 

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