President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is pushing for the immediate enactment of Senate Bill No. 2593, known as the Government Procurement Reform Act, in order to address the lengthy and cumbersome public procurement process and improve procurement efficiency.
In a letter to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Marcos emphasized the importance of passing this legislation to address gaps in public spending and improve the government’s ability to deliver services to the people. The letter was also sent to House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Meanwhile, Senator Sonny Angara recently sponsored SBN 2593 under Committee Report No. 214 at the Senate plenary, where it is currently pending on second reading. Angara highlighted that amending the two decades-old Government Procurement Reform Act will lead to greater efficiency in project implementation, goods procurement, and potentially reduce avenues for corruption in the Philippines.
One key amendment being considered is the requirement for agencies to improve planning and early procurement activities to avoid failures in the process due to poor planning. Angara believes that the reform of the GPRA will not only speed up procurement processes in the country but also make them more effective.
