The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced on Tuesday the launching of the e-marketplace, a digital platform to upgrade and improve buying and selling activities of the government.
During a press briefing on May 14, 2024, DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, along with PS DBM Executive Director Dennis Santiago, introduced the new features and process for the e-marketplace, which will be officially launched by the end of July.
Pangandaman noted that similar to other online purchasing apps, the e-marketplace system aims to serve as virtual platform that will facilitate buying and selling transactions of the government for equipment and other supplies that they need to procure for the agency.
“It serves as a virtual marketplace where transactions and interactions occur electronically–it is similar to Lazada, Amazon, and Shopee. It is a significant component of digital transformation, as it leverages the power of the internet and technology to connect businesses, consumers, and suppliers in the digital environment,” Pangandaman quoted.
She further stated that through the e-marketplace, they will be able to digitalize and address issues in the government’s procurement system, particularly in budget utilization.
“The on-going procurement reforms, including the proposed amendments to the 20-year old government procurement reform act, are our way of making our procurement system efficient, transparent, reliable, sustainable, and future-proof,” she added.
Likewise, Santiago stated that the e-marketplace will allow easier procurement processes for the government as buyers by reducing procurement process time through features similar with usual purchasing applications.
“We hope to provide a platform, both for sellers and buyers, meaning sellers [are] market operators, of course government as buyers, to look into products–multiple products in one platform where they can choose, where they can select, and of course order, and actually pay everything through the system,” Santiago explained.
Santiago further emphasized that through the e-marketplace, the usual 26 to 136 days of procurement process may be reduced to one day only, with about 2-3 days for delivery.
Meanwhile, the department is set to introduce the e-marketplace system first in purchasing vehicles being used by government agencies.