Marcos certifies Senate bill amending gov’t procurement law as urgent

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has certified a bill amending Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA) as urgent.

In a letter dated March 19 to Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri obtained by GMA News Online, Marcos stressed the need to immediately approve Senate Bill 2593 “to address the tedious and prolonged procedure in the public procurement efficacy.”

The president also said SB 2593 would “remedy the public emergency caused by the gaps in public spending, which hamper the ability of the government to deliver substantial services to the people.”

A copy of the letter was furnished to Speaker Martin Romualdez and Presidential Legislative Liaison Office chief Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza.

SB 2593 is currently awaiting Senate approval on second reading.

In his sponsorship speech, Senator Sonny Angara said amending the two-decade-old GPRA would result in greater efficiency in the implementation of projects, the purchase of goods and supplies, and reducing, if not eliminating, avenues for corruption.

“While it was able to institute key reforms in the government procurement process, over time individuals with evil intent have managed to find loopholes to exploit, costing the public billions that could have been spent on more productive endeavors,” Angara said.

“We have seen agencies whose procurement of basic supplies takes an inordinate amount of time to complete. There is a lack of true competition among bidders, and oftentimes agencies are unable to undertake the procurement of goods due to poor planning or [because they] are tied up by the procedures under the law,” he added.

Prior to its certification as urgent, the bill was included in the priority measures of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council.

Marcos urged Congress to pass a new procurement law in his 2023 State of the Nation Address. — VBL, GMA Integrated News