THE Procurement Service (PS) of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is planning to impose a green public procurement (GPP) standard to ensure that the government spends in a sustainable manner.
“The establishment of an inter-agency technical specifications review committee is one of the reform initiatives we spearheaded to take government procurement to a sustainable track,” PS Executive Director Dennis S. Santiago said in a statement.
The committee will be formed to implement GPP and assess, review and evaluate the sustainability of common-use supplies and equipment technical specifications.
The specifications will need to comply with Philippine and international standards, as well as address environmental, social and economic aspects of government purchasing.
“Under a GPP regime, the government shall procure goods and services with reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle,” the DBM said.
Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said that integrating “green choices in public procurement puts the Philippines closer to its ultimate goal of ensuring sustainable management and use of natural resources by 2030.”
“GPP provides the opportunity for government agencies to infuse environmentally-friendly parameters and requirements in the products that we procure, and in the process avoid the use of toxic substances; prioritize alternative green materials; reduce energy and water consumption during use; and recycle at the end of the useful life of the product,” Mr. Santiago added.
Apart from the PS, the committee will also include the departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Trade and Industry, Science and Technology, Information and Communications Technology; and Energy. — Luisa Maria Jacinta C. Jocson
