In a groundbreaking move, the Philippine government is taking a bold step towards environmental responsibility. 

Executive Director Dennis Santiago of the Procurement Service – Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) recently mentioned that the entire government will adopt green procurement practices under the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA). This strategic shift aims to ensure that government purchases are not only economically sound but also environmentally friendly and socially responsible.

“The whole of government will be buying green. The whole of government will be approaching public procurement sustainably,” Santiago said.

Sustainable Public Procurement is the driving force behind this initiative. It encompasses a holistic approach that considers three essential aspects: economic, social, and environmental. Among these, the environmental aspect takes a key role in what is commonly referred to as Green Public Procurement.

“Green public procurement is just part of sustainability. If you talk about sustainability, ang sinasabi ko nga d’yan, tripod daw po ‘yan. Merong economic aspect. Merong social aspect. At merong environmental aspect. So ‘yung environmental aspect, ‘yun po ‘yung green procurement,” Director Santiago said.

During an interview on the program Usapang Budget Natin, Director Santiago emphasized the urgency of this approach. By prioritizing green procurement, the government ensures that future generations will have access to essential supplies while safeguarding our planet.

“Paano ‘yung mga anak mo? Paano ‘yung mga darating na panahon? May mabibili pa nga ba silang kagamitan? May mabibili pa ba silang produkto na maayos? Na makatutugon po sa pangangailangan nila na hindi po nakakasira ng kalikasan,” according to Santiago.