"Trustworthy" and "very able" — these were the words of Senators Sonny Angara and Koko Pimentel in reference to Procurement Service - Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) Executive Director (ED) Dennis Santiago as the PS-DBM Team joined and hurdled the final round of interpellations of Senate Bill No. 2593, or the proposed New Government Procurement Act (NGPA), on May 14, 2024.
This remark followed the questioning of Senators Risa Hontiveros and Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa who raised clarifications on various concepts in the NGPA, including the most economically advantageous and responsive bid (MEARB), fit-for-purpose approach, and the additional modes of procurement, among others.
ED Santiago was with Atty. Genmaries Entredicho-Caong, Director for Procurement Group; Atty. Philip Josef Vera Cruz, Director for Operations Group; Atty. Ramon Matibag and Atty. Lyodychie Camarao of the Legal Division; and Ms. Ladylou Gimeno of the Comptroller Division.
Officials of DBM and the Government Procurement Policy Board - Technical Support Office (GPPB-TSO) were likewise in attendance, including Dir. Andrea Celene M. Magtalas, Acting Dir. Trisha Baraan, Atty. Maria Isabelle Ebron, Mr. Mark James Evangelista, Mr. Renato Asi Jr., and Atty. Farhan Jumdain.
Highlighting the standards of transparency, efficiency, accountability, and good governance in the procurement process, Senator Angara also touched on the innovative features of the modernized Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), professionalization of public procurement, and integrity in the conduct of procurement activities to address questions from Senators.
The NGPA is among the President's priority bills and will now enter the period of amendments.
Under the "very able" leadership of ED Santiago, known to many including the senators as a "trustworthy" public official, PS-DBM actively takes part in these engagements in a bid to institutionalize procurement reforms not only in the agency but in the entire government.