In support of its preparation for the procurement of various goods and services, the Procurement Service - Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), by invitation from the Department of Foreign Affairs - Office of Consular Affairs (DFA-OCA), reintroduced its mandate among procurement officers of DFA-OCA as the government’s central purchasing arm for common-use supplies and equipment (CSE)—the enforcement of which is anchored on the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA).
On April 7, 2025, PS-DBM, led by Executive Director (ED) Genmaries “Gen” S. Entredicho-Caong, facilitated a lecture on the relevant provisions of NGPA in the context of its mandate. The new procurement law mandates all government agencies to procure CSE only from PS-DBM.
In her discussion, ED Gen shared the timeline which ultimately led to the passage of NGPA, which features new governing principles, modes of procurement, and award criterion. The topic also touched on strategic procurement planning, in light of DFA-OCA’s intent to procure multi-year projects for the operationalization of its electronic passport system.
In relation to the use of an online platform, ED Gen also discussed electronic procurement by highlighting the role of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) in the conduct of all procurement activities of the government. This was further expounded by introducing the PS-DBM eMarketplace, an additional functionality of the modernized PhilGEPS that now serves as the official e-commerce platform of the Philippine Government for CSE procurement.
By the end of the program—following a forum that gathered ED Gen; Atty. Ramon Antonio L. Matibag, Director for Legal Office; and Mr. Omar Bernal, Chief of Marketing and Sales Division as panelists—the participants were equipped with the fundamental knowledge of requisite documents and necessary procedures, along with the awareness of relevant procurement law, rules, and regulations.
PS-DBM, alongside the fulfillment of its initiatives to transition government agencies to the implementation of NGPA, is pleased to have contributed to DFA-OCA’s project aimed at ensuring the continued delivery of passport services to the public. | April 10, 2025/KR