PRRD orders transparency in all gov’t transactions

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte at the Malago Clubhouse in Malacañang on September 28, 2020. ROBINSON NIÑAL/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered government agencies to ensure transparency and accountability in all transactions, especially in procurement processes.

Duterte issued Administrative Order No. 34 on Oct. 23 and was released to public on Tuesday in line with government’s commitment to promote the efficient management of public resources.

“Transparency and accountability in all government transactions, especially in the procurement processes shall be observed. To this end, all agencies and instrumentalities of the government shall strictly comply with the relevant provisions on transparency and accountability in the procurement process under RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act) and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations, the GAA (General Appropriations Act), the resolutions of the Government Procurement Policy Board and other relevant laws, rules and regulations,” the order read.

Under the order, the President designated the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) to be the primary source and repository of information on government procurement.

“The PhilGEPS shall be user-and mobile-friendly, up-to-date, and compliant with the requirements for the maintenance of a Transparency Seal…” the order read.

Procuring agencies must use and maintain their official websites and social media platforms as secondary source of critical procurement information for the public.

All agencies, including government-owned or controlled corporations and government financial institutions, and state universities and colleges, must post on their official websites and social media platforms

This includes the project title, location, approved budget for the contract, the winning contractor and the detailed estimates of the bid as awarded.

The start of construction, target date of completion, completion rate, project status and reasons in case of delay must also be disclosed on their websites.

Agencies must also disclose sources of funds, implementing office, responsible official, contact number and e-mail address in their websites.

On post-contract award disclosures, state agencies must publish in their websites and social media platforms information about the project name, approved budget, contract period, winning bidder and address, contract amount, date of award, and implementing agency.

“For contracts involving projects with an approved budget of PHP50 million and above, the foregoing post-award information shall be published once in a newspaper of general circulation, in addition to posting the same on the respective official websites and social media platforms of the agencies concerned,” the order read.

AO 34 also directs the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) to prepare a consolidated blacklisting report every quarter and disseminate such information to procuring entities and the Commission on Audit.

“The report shall be further posted on the GPPB website, the PhilGEPS and the official website and social media platform of the procuring entity, and shall indicate the number of times a person/entity has been blacklisted, the type of offense/violation committed, the penalty imposed, and the blacklisting agency concerned,” the order read.

Non-compliance to the order will be grounds for administrative actions against the erring official or employee.

The Department of Budget and Management, in coordination with the GPPB, must formulate guidelines for the implementation of the order.