By invitation from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), Procurement Service – Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) participated in the Conference on Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Policies and Practices held in Selangor, Malaysia in October 2024.
Gathering approximately 180 policymakers, the event served as an avenue for participants to exchange insights about SCP policies and cooperation in ASEAN, a region that makes significant contributions to global manufacturing and material consumption.
While this is a positive development in terms of economic growth, it poses challenges to the environment. This is what the conference tries to address: share among ASEAN members and development partners their respective best SCP practices—one of the areas in which these practices can be advanced is procurement.
Mandated to operate a centralized procurement system of Common-use Supplies and Equipment (CSE) for the whole of government, the PS-DBM is a staunch advocate of sustainable procurement in the Philippines. With its 12-point Agenda, specifically the institutionalization and implementation of Sustainable/Green Public Procurement (SPP/GPP), PS-DBM incorporates green parameters in its CSE list which ultimately results in reduced environmental, social, and economic impact throughout their life cycle.
This was discussed by PS-DBM Executive Director (ED) Atty. Genmaries “Gen” S. Entredicho-Caong who sat as resource speaker in one of the panel discussions that centered on “Making SPP Mandatory.” Also present in the event with ED Gen were Ms. Jessica Gapuz and Engr. Antonio Hermida, Jr. of the Industry Development and Management Division. In her message, ED Gen noted that the PS-DBM has successfully integrated green technical specifications into 29 CSE items thus far.
ED Gen’s talk was parallel with other breakout sessions and workshops, all of which uphold the ASEAN SCP Framework. Anchored on United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 that highlights sustainable consumption and production patterns, the ASEAN SCP Framework was developed as a guide for the Southeast Asian region, among other things, to establish best practices on green products and procurement.
In the Philippines, the recent passage of the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA) institutionalized the mandatory integration and implementation of green practices, as well as environmentally relevant criteria or requirements, in the design and specifications of all of the government’s procurement projects. PS-DBM is actively taking part in the drafting of NGPA’s Implementing Rules and Regulations.
Relative to the conference, PS-DBM also participated in a peer learning workshop on GPP in Malaysia in 2024. It was likewise organized by GIZ, a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development.
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 goes beyond insightful dialogues, as it directly facilitates actionable solutions geared towards efficient management of resources and protection of the environment. | January 15, 2024/GD