Manila: The New Government Procurement Act (NGPA) has elevated the Philippines as a 'leading model of transparency in Asia and a pioneer in open governance worldwide,' President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced during the opening of the 2025 Open Government Philippines (OGP) Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Manila in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
According to Philippines News Agency, Marcos highlighted that the NGPA, also known as Republic Act (RA) 12009, is a transformative law that simplifies, improves, and modernizes the longstanding Philippine government procurement system. The act emphasizes open contracting, necessitating the disclosure of data and documents at every stage of the procurement process and inviting civil society organizations to participate, thus enhancing their capability to monitor public fund expenditure and contract implementation.
Marcos described the NGPA as 'the biggest anti-corruption law in modern times,' underscoring its role in bolstering the Philippines' efforts against corruption and bureaucratic inefficiencies. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman echoed these sentiments, labeling the NGPA as the most significant anti-corruption measure in the nation's recent history, as it introduces open contracting, beneficial ownership information disclosure, and public participation throughout the procurement process, aligning with government values.
In line with procurement policy reforms, Marcos mentioned the government's use of advanced technologies to enhance the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), allowing state agencies to 'Add to Cart' supplies and pay online. This system streamlines the procurement of goods, such as motor vehicles, in a more efficient and transparent manner for government agencies.
Additionally, Marcos noted efforts to harmonize various budget management systems to remove redundancies and improve revenue and expenditure management efficiency and accuracy. The Public Financial Management Reforms Roadmap 2024-2028, launched in September 2024, underscores the administration's commitment to fully digitalizing the bureaucracy.
Marcos emphasized that these initiatives are driven by the belief that fostering civic engagement at all societal levels can lead to transformative and impactful changes. He expressed the government's determination to maintain the momentum of best practices. Budget Secretary Pangandaman, also the chair of the Philippine OGP, stated that the Philippines leads Asia in fiscal transparency, as evidenced by the latest Open Budget Survey.
