DBM pushes ‘green procurement’
THE ADOPTION of environment-friendly practices and a shortening of the procurement process by at least three-fourths the time are part of the “green procurement” being pushed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
In a statement on Tuesday, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said that green procurement “is not just a choice” but “our responsibility.”
“As we navigate the challenges of the present, we must also safeguard the future generation,” she said in supporting the green procurement processes contained in Senate Bill No. 2593, the proposed New Government Procurement Act.
The bill favors locally manufactured and environment-friendly goods, articles, and materials. It also seeks to shorten the government’s procurement process from 120 days to 27 days.
One other key change introduced by the bill is that public biddings would “no longer be the primary method of procurement but merely one of the available procurement modalities.”
“The proposed law introduces the ‘fit for purpose’ and ‘proportionality’ concepts or principles. It encourages agencies to choose the most appropriate procurement mode based on the specific situation, ensuring flexibility and efficiency during emergencies and beyond,” the DBM statement said.
Senators have yet to approve the measure on second reading, but as one of the Marcos administration’s priority bills hopes are high for its approval before Congress adjourns in late May. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz