MAPS
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Philippines

Philippines

As the Philippines continues to modernise its public procurement system, the MAPS MAIN assessment provided a comprehensive review of the legal, institutional, and operational framework supporting public procurement. The assessment recognised the strengths of the procurement system governed by the Government Procurement Reform Act and the PhilGEPS electronic procurement platform, while identifying priorities to strengthen competition, procurement professionalisation, value-for-money approaches, sustainable procurement, and transparency. The findings also contributed to the development of the New Government Procurement Act (RA 12009), adopted in 2024.

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Quick facts

Year of assessment	2018-2021
Date of publication	June 2023
Country procurement volume	43 billion USD
Principal organisation	Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB)
Main partners	World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Background

Why was a MAPS assessment initiated?

The MAPS assessment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the Philippines' public procurement system and identify areas for improvement, aligning with international standards and best practices.

Who initiated the assessment?

The assessment was requested by the Government of the Philippines (GoP) through the GPPB and conducted in collaboration with the World Bank and ADB.

Brief description of the country procurement system

The Philippine public procurement system is governed by the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). It has a centralized regulatory framework, but procurement is carried out at various levels of government. The system is highly regulated, with legal provisions for transparency, competition, and accountability.

Recent major reforms or external events impacting procurement:

The modernization of PhilGEPS (mPhilGEPS) to improve electronic procurement.
The implementation of Green Public Procurement strategies to integrate sustainability into procurement.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which led to emergency procurement measures.

Were there any disruptions?

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected data collection and in-person consultations during the assessment.

Main results and impact

Issue: Restrictions in participation due to eligibility requirements on licensing and nationality, limiting competition.

Recommendations: Review and amend rules to encourage wider participation, improve value for money, and foster competition.

Issue: Public procurement is not widely recognized as a professional career with standardized competencies.

Recommendations: Update the procurement professionalization strategy, establish a career path, and provide incentives for training and certification.

Issue: The procurement planning and execution process is inefficient, with delays and frequent bidding failures.

Recommendations: Strengthen procurement planning, ensure proper market research, and enforce better contract management practices.

Issue: Lack of an independent administrative appeals mechanism for procurement disputes.

Recommendations: Establish an independent appeals body, improve data transparency in procurement protests, and enhance enforcement of integrity measures.

Many of the specific recommendations made in the MAPS assessment were included in the New Government Procurement Act (RA 12009) that was signed on July 2024. The legislation adopts a fit-for-purpose approach in procurement to tailor management, oversight and control levels to the complexity of projects, a particularly pertinent consideration given the government's significant procurement involvement in expansive infrastructure initiatives such as Build Better More. Provisions related to procurement data analytics, professionalisation of procurement officers, and sustainable procurement further underscore the country's commitment to bolstering procurement practices, as well as the value of MAPS to improve procurement systems.

Philippines

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Quick facts

Background

Main results and impact

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Philippines

Quick facts

Background

Main results and impact

Legal, Regulatory and Policy Framework

Institutional Framework and Management Capacity

Public Procurement Operations and Market Practices

Accountability, Integrity, and Transparency of the Public Procurement System

About

Methodology

Assessments

e-Learning and Certification