The Procurement Service – Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), in time for the celebration of its 46th anniversary on October 18, 2024, welcomed the appointment of its newest set of leaders following the ceremonial oath-taking led by no less than DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman.
Taking the oath before Sec. Pangandaman were Atty. Genmaries S. Entredicho-Caong, appointed Executive Director (ED) on October 3; Atty. Philip Josef T. Vera Cruz, appointed Deputy ED for Operations, Logistics, and Supply Chain Group on October 3; and Mr. Rommel D. Rivera, appointed Deputy ED for Information and Communications Technology and Procurement Group on October 17.
This change of leadership succeeds the organizational restructuring of PS-DBM as approved by DBM in June 2024, initiated by former ED Dennis S. Santiago, to enhance the agency’s operational efficiency and resilience.
The modifications in the organizational structure come at an opportune time as PS-DBM continues to strive in reshaping the Philippine public procurement landscape as the government’s central purchasing arm for common-use supplies and equipment (CSE), anchored on the provisions of Republic Act No. 12009, otherwise known as the New Government Act (NGPA).
Under the leadership of the new Executive Management Committee, which has made significant contributions to the enactment of NGPA, PS-DBM spearheads the digitalization of the public procurement process through initiatives that push for the maximization of technological advancements. In fact, PS-DBM is set to launch its Electronic Marketplace, or the eMarketplace, which shall serve as the government’s official e-commerce platform for the procurement of CSE.
In the midst of these developments, PS-DBM is assured of a competent leadership to realize its endeavors. ED Entredicho-Caong, with almost 24 years of experience in legal, development work, and technical advisory services, is most equipped to steer the PS-DBM ship—having worked with and for local and international organizations such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. As a member of the Technical Working Group for the NGPA bills in both chambers of Congress, she was an integral part of the PS-DBM team that proposed new provisions for the amended procurement law.
Deputy ED Vera Cruz, meanwhile, a Career Executive Service Eligible, banks on his experience as the Chief of the Legal Affairs Division and Officer-in-Charge of the Board of Secretariat for the Dangerous Drugs Board, the country’s highest policy-making body in the field of drug abuse prevention and control. Deputy ED Rivera, for his part, tucks under his belt 25 years of experience in procurement, public administration, finance, and fiscal management. As a recognized and accredited trainer for the Government Procurement Policy Board, his expertise benefits procurement practitioners across all levels of government—from national government agencies down to local government units.
In this period of procurement reforms and transformation, strengthened by the NGPA that will further professionalize the procurement workforce through upscaling of competencies, PS-DBM takes pride in being led by capable leaders who shall take charge in ushering in a new era of procurement—for the agency, its key stakeholders, and the Filipino people. | December 2, 2024/Comms