MikeLigalig.com

By M. Antonio G. Ibarra

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said the Aquino administration has saved around P555 million from newspaper advertisements for project bidders’ invitation with the use of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS).

Budget Secretary Florencio "Butch" Abad told the Communication and News Exchange (CNEX) Forum on Friday at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Conference Room in Quezon City that with DBM using the PhilGEPS website, publication of the invitation to bid for government projects is done away with, thus the big saving.

CNEX Forum, a weekly briefing and discussion with government media, is a project of the PIA headed by Director General Atty. Jose A. Fabia in cooperation with the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).

During the forum, Rosa Clemente, project manager of the Government Electronic Procurement System Group, said the exact amount saved by the government was P555,295,254.

Clemente explained that PhilGEPS is DBM’s implementation of Section 8 of Republic Act No. 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act which provides, “To promote transparency and efficiency, information and communications technology shall be utilized in the conduct of procurement procedures.”

She said it is the single, centralized electronic portal or gateway that shall serve as the primary and definitive source of information on government procurement.

”Government entities are required to post all procurement opportunities, bid results and other related information on the procurement of goods and other support services, civil works and consulting services,” she added.

The DBM official explained that among the PhilGEPS’ objectives are: To establish an open, transparent, efficient and competitive marketplace for government procurement; to get better process; to build the framework to continually improve the procurement processes; and to maintain sustainability over the long-term.

Clemente has invited the media and the forum participants to visit the PhilGEPS website, http://www.philgeps.net.

She said that the PhilGEPS’ features are: electronic bulletin board which includes posting of procurement opportunities, notices of awards, electronic distribution of bid documents and automatic notification of amendments; electronic catalogue, a centralized price list of common use goods, supplies, materials and equipment; and virtual store (pilot implementation) which supports online procurement of both common and non-common use item. - pna

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