On the day of their official visit to the LGU Depot Palawan on April 26, 2023, Executive Director (E.D.) Dennis S. Santiago and Director for Regional Operations Group Dave Y. Valderrama of the Procurement Service - Department of Budget and Management witnessed up close the Depot’s transactions with client-agencies.
Regional Trial Court-Branch (RTC-Br.) 162 of Coron, Palawan, led by Hon. Judge Arnel Cezar, purchased CSE from the LGU Depot located in Puerto Princesa. The RTC’s Branch Clerk of Court, Atty. Maryanne Marigondon, took 15 hours to travel via sea and land. Through the Supreme Court’s Pilot Program, funds are downloaded to the identified courts in order for them to make their own purchase of supplies.
Among the purchased items are correction tape, cutter blade, external hard drive, metal fastener, flash drive, glue, ink, permanent marker, legal multipurpose paper, paper pad, rubber band, sign pens, and staple wire.
Atty. Marigondon said that the RTC-Br 162 has already aggregated and collated their CSE requirements, adding that they conduct two purchases a year, during the first and second semester, respectively. Through close coordination with the LGU Depot; proper planning; timing of purchase; and willingness to comply with the Supreme Court's Circular, efficient procurement is guaranteed. Apart from efficiency, Atty. Marigondon said that their procurement was also beneficial in terms of effort, time, and cost — addressing the needs of RTC for the year and beyond.
Meanwhile, Ms. Norhaida Pamatian, a Teacher I from Sibaring National High School (SNHS) in Balabac, Palawan — southern part of the province — also attested to the advantages of centralized procurement. She said that the limited availability of goods and services in their locality has always been a challenge. Lump or bulk purchases from the LGU Depot Palawan, therefore, are more beneficial in supplying their school’s requirements. In this transaction, Ms. Pamatian purchased dust pan, stamp pad and its ink, glue, tape, ruler, correction tape, cutter knife, envelope, legal multipurpose paper, toilet tissue, and sign pens.
The 10-hour travel also via sea and land, although taxing, was still outweighed by the convenience that came with various CSE offerings available at the LGU Depot, not to mention their cheaper prices. Ms. Pamatian also shared that as best practice, SNHS combines all the supply requirements of the school and conducts an aggregated purchase. By coordinating with the LGU Depot in advance, the identification of these available items on time allows for a successful procurement.
These two purchases from the northernmost and southernmost parts of Palawan by RTC-Br 162 in Coron and SNHS in Balabac cement the fact that purchasing CSE from PS-DBM Depots is possible, despite the distance, due to the advantageous nature of the transaction in terms of the availability of goods and the reasonability and affordability of prices. Furthermore, the compliance with the requirement of the law and rules to procure CSE from PS-DBM is accomplished and will continue to be feasible provided that good planning and coordination are in place.