Thirty officers from the Procurement Service–Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) completed the first batch of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) Level 2, an intensive four-day training that strengthens the agency’s capacity to meet international procurement standards, in January 2026. The training is funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the project “EU-PH Partnership in Reinforcing Capacity, Transparency, and Efficiency in Public Procurement - Enabling Justice and the Rule of Law Programme.”
“The European Union and the Philippines have a very strong partnership. Good governance, rule of law are one of the main pillars of this partnership, and the government requested support in the implementation of the new Public Procurement Act from the European Union,” said Dr. Marco Gemmer, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to the Philippines. “And that's why you are here today, because we have designed a joint program with DBM, with all the public services, with the friends and colleagues from UNDP, in order to work on an ecosystem approach towards public procurement, where you, the representatives of the government, are trained, where auditors will be trained, where the oversight institutions are trained.”
This initiative supports the ongoing implementation of the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA), which emphasizes value for money, digitalization, and inclusive procurement. PS-DBM's Executive Director, Atty. Genmaries S. Entredicho-Caong, called on participants to “initiate, in your own capacity, the transfer of knowledge in subsequent learning opportunities among your colleagues geared towards a broader dissemination of information, institutional retention, and strengthened collaboration mechanisms.” Atty. Entredicho-Caong, a CIPS 3 alumna, underscored that active participation in the course can further contribute to the agency’s continued recognition for excellence.
Mr. Edwine Carrie, UNDP Philippines’ Deputy Resident Representative, emphasized the role of public procurement as a driver in advancing development outcomes. Mr. Carrie stated that a significant portion of the national budget is spent through public procurement, “Procurement is a strategic lever to accelerate progress towards the SDGs, by ensuring the timely delivery of high-quality goods and services to Filipinos, in line with the priorities of the government.”
Held from January 27 to 30, 2026 at Century Park Hotel in Manila, the training was facilitated by UNDP Procurement Specialist Yuriy Silayev. The next two batches of the CIPS 2 training are scheduled for March and May 2026 and will include the Commission on Audit, the Government Procurement Policy Board, and civil society representatives, alongside PS-DBM.
CIPS 2 is an entry-level international certification providing foundations in core procurement principles, ethical standards, and effective sourcing processes. Successful participants may progress to higher levels, contributing to building a sustainable pipeline of certified procurement practitioners in government.
This write-up is produced by UNDP with inputs from PS-DBM.