By invitation from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and Scaling Sustainable Consumption and Production (Scaling SCP), the Procurement Service – Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), led by Acting Executive Director (ED) Atty. Genmaries “Gen” S. Entredicho-Caong, took part in the Philippine-Malaysia peer learning workshop on Green Public Procurement (GPP) from August 20 to 23, 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Titled “Insights on Enhancing GPP Implementation through Peer Learning,” the forum served as an avenue for participants to exchange knowledge and share best practices on processes surrounding GPP, and ultimately apply these insights to its implementation in their respective countries. The three-day event featured presentations and discussions on key GPP concepts, such as criteria development, verification mechanisms, and enabling policies, among others.
ED Gen was joined by Engr. Jaime M. Navarrete, Jr., OIC of the Regional Operations Group, and Mr. Christian Jude Salcedo of the Procurement Group. Together, they participated in workshop-style activities to deepen their GPP knowledge and understand institutional arrangements that come with it, including market engagement, capacity building, interagency collaboration, delegation of stakeholder roles, and use of communication channels. The challenges that may be encountered in enabling framework and policies to make GPP mandatory, as well as the possible solutions, were likewise tackled.
In the Philippines, PS-DBM is tasked to operate a centralized procurement system of Common-use Supplies and Equipment (CSE) for the whole of government. Hence, its role in integrating GPP into the procurement process cannot be overemphasized. Following the passage of the New Government Procurement Act, the enforcement of GPP in the country becomes more relevant. The new law promotes sustainable and green procurement, as it mandates the procuring entities to integrate and implement green practices, as well as environmentally relevant criteria or requirements, in the design and specifications of their procurement projects.
Anchored on the country’s own GPP Roadmap which began in 2017, and in line with the global Sustainable Development Goals, PS-DBM has been a staunch advocate of institutionalizing GPP implementation at all levels of the government. Apart from NGPA, PS-DBM has also instituted its 12-point Agenda, a holistic set of procurement strategies to reform public procurement, one of which is its procurement of goods and services with reduced environmental, social, and economic impact throughout their life cycle.
Sharing PS-DBM’s experiences in the context of the Philippine public procurement landscape, ED Gen presented updates on the implementation of the GPP Roadmap for CSE. Presently, there are 29 CSE items in the PS-DBM’s product catalog with green specifications. In relation, a partnership with GIZ for its technical assistance in integrating green specifications to 25 more CSE items is also already in the pipeline.
PS-DBM recognizes that the purchasing power of the public sector is capable of driving demand for sustainable products and services. By actively participating in these engagements, PS-DBM contributes to the country’s efforts to protect the environment geared towards climate change mitigation through green and sustainable government procurement. | September 11, 2024/GD