MANILA – The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced the successful delivery of six motor vehicles, valued at PHP10.9 million, to government agencies through the newly launched eMarketplace platform. This initiative is part of the broader New Government Procurement Act (NGPA), signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on July 20, 2024, aimed at revolutionizing the public procurement system in the Philippines.
The eMarketplace platform, a key feature of the NGPA, simplifies the procurement process by allowing government agencies to select and purchase necessary goods and services with ease, akin to an ‘add to cart’ shopping experience. This approach is designed to enhance efficiency and reduce the time and cost associated with traditional procurement methods.
Genmaries Entredicho-Caong, Executive Director of PS-DBM, highlighted President Marcos’s enthusiastic endorsement of the eMarketplace during the discussions on the procurement law amendments. The first transaction under this platform saw the Insurance Commission (IC) receiving four vehicles worth PHP7.6 million at Toyota Otis in Paco, Manila. The following day, the National Tax Research Center (NTRC) took delivery of two vehicles costing PHP3.3 million.
Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman celebrated this achievement as a significant milestone since the eMarketplace’s launch in December 2024. She emphasized the platform’s user-friendly design, which has already shortened procurement times dramatically, from months to just weeks. Pangandaman expressed optimism about the future, noting that the eMarketplace is just the beginning of a broader digital transformation in government purchasing.
The eMarketplace is currently in its pilot phase, focusing on common-use supplies and equipment (CSE), with motor vehicles being the first category available for purchase. The platform is set to expand its offerings to include airline tickets, cloud computing services, and various software and licenses, further streamlining government operations.