GPPB Resolution No. 14 (2025)
Designating the Government Procurement Policy Board – Technical Support Office Director General and Deputy Directors General as Principal and Alternate Negotiators and Representatives on Government Procurement, Respectively, and the Designation of the Procurement Service – Department of Budget and Management’s Executive Director and Deputy Executive Directors as Principal and Alternate Negotiators on Matters Related to Electronic Procurement or Affecting the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System, Respectively, to the Negotiating Panel in Free Trade Negotiations
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RESOLUTION NO. 14-2025
DESIGNATING THE GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT POLICY BOARD – TECHNICAL SUPPORT OFFICE DIRECTOR GENERAL AND DEPUTY DIRECTORS GENERAL AS PRINCIPAL AND ALTERNATE NEGOTIATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES ON GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT, RESPECTIVELY, AND THE DESIGNATION OF THE PROCUREMENT SERVICE – DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AS PRINCIPAL AND ALTERNATE NEGOTIATORS ON MATTERS RELATED TO ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT OR AFFECTING THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT SYSTEM, RESPECTIVELY, TO THE NEGOTIATING PANEL IN FREE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS
WHEREAS, Republic Act (RA) No. 12009, or the “New Government Procurement Act,” took effect on 13 August 2024, while its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) took effect on 25 February 2025;
WHEREAS, Section 91 of RA No. 12009 mandates that the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) shall be the central body that sets strategic direction and makes policy decisions regarding all matters affecting public procurement, having due regard to the country’s regional and international obligations, and is tasked to lead the nation’s efforts in advancing public procurement reforms in accordance with the Act;
WHEREAS, Section 91 of RA No. 12009 further provides that, in the performance of its functions, the GPPB shall be supported by a Technical Support Office (TSO), an agency attached to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). The TSO shall be headed by a Director General (DG) with a rank equivalent to an Undersecretary and supported by Deputy Directors General (DDG) with a rank equivalent to an Assistant Secretary;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Sections 20.1.1 of the IRR of RA No. 12009, the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) shall be the single electronic procurement portal that shall serve as the primary source of information and channel in the conduct of procurement activities of the government. The PhilGEPS shall be managed by the Procurement Service – DBM (PS-DBM);
WHEREAS, the GPPB designated the GPPB-TSO’s Executive Director (ED) and Deputy Executive Directors (DEDs) as Principal and Alternate Negotiators and Representatives to the Philippine (PH) Negotiating Panel for the Government Procurement (GP) Chapter for the European Free Trade Associations (EFTA) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) based on the Philippines – Japan Economic Partnership Agreement GP Provisions, and allow the PH GP Negotiation Panel to negotiate with EFTA economies and consider areas of market access to PH, subject to the following: (a) specific areas of market access (b) valuable thresholds; and (c) covered agencies;1
1 Through GPPB Resolution No. 28-2015 dated 30 October 2015, entitled “Negotiations on the Government Procurement (GP) Chapter under the Philippines (PH) – European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA).”
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WHEREAS, the GPPB designated the GPPB-TSO’s ED and DEDs as Principal and Alternate Negotiators and Representatives, respectively, to bilateral and multilateral free trade negotiations involving GP upon invitation by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) or other lead government agencies;2
WHEREAS, during the 1st GPPB Inter-Agency Technical Working Group (IATWG) meeting, to ensure continuity following the effectivity of RA No. 12009, the GPPB-TSO requested to (i) designate the DG and any of the DDGs as may be identified by the DG of the GPPB-TSO, as Principal and Alternate Negotiators and Representatives, respectively, to bilateral and multilateral free trade negotiations involving Government Procurement, to be exercised upon the invitation of the DTI or other lead government agencies; and (ii) designate the ED and any of the DEDs as may be identified by the ED of the PS-DBM, as Principal and Alternate Negotiators and Representatives, respectively, to the negotiating panel on matters related to electronic procurement and the use of PhilGEPS, to be exercised upon the invitation of the DTI or other lead government agencies;3
WHEREAS, during the same meeting, the GPPB-TSO provided updates on the existing bilateral and multilateral FTAs, including those concluded after the effectivity of RA No. 12009, as follows: (i) the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Clean and Fair Economy Pillars III and IV entered into force in October 2024, with negotiations substantially concluded in May and November 2023; (ii) the ASEAN–Australia–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement entered into force in April 2025, with negotiations substantially concluded on 22 July 2022. It was further reported that while the Philippines–United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement has not yet entered into force, its Government Procurement Chapter was concluded in January 2025 or within the effectivity of RA No. 12009;
WHEREAS, the GPPB-TSO received from the PS-DBM further comments proposing, among others, its designation as a negotiator during FTAs on matters related to electronic procurement and affecting the operations of the PhilGEPS due to its mandate over the subject matter;4
WHEREAS, after further review of the subject proposal and upon recommendation by the GPPB-TSO and the GPPB IATWG, the same was presented to the GPPB for consideration;
WHEREAS, the GPPB, after thorough deliberation, agreed to approve the subject proposal;
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing, WE, the Members of the GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT POLICY BOARD, by virtue of the powers vested on US by law and other executive issuances, hereby RESOLVE, as WE hereby RESOLVE, to confirm, adopt, and approve the following:
a) DESIGNATE the DG and any of the DDGs as may be identified by the DG of the GPPB-TSO, as Principal and Alternate Negotiators and Representatives, respectively, to bilateral and multilateral free trade negotiations involving Government Procurement, to be exercised upon the invitation of the DTI or other lead government agencies;
2 Through GPPB Resolution No. 04-2016 dated 11 March 2016, entitled “Designating the Government Procurement Policy Board – Technical Support Office (GPPB-TSO) Executive Director and Deputy Executive Directors as Principal and Alternative Representatives, respectively, to the Negotiating Panel on Government Procurement in Free Trade Negotiations.” 3 Meeting dated 03 September 2025. 4 Received on 23 September 2025.
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b) DESIGNATE the ED and any of the DEDs as may be identified by the ED of the PS-DBM, as Principal and Alternate Negotiators and Representatives, respectively, to the negotiating panel on matters related to electronic procurement and the use of PhilGEPS, to be exercised upon the invitation of the DTI or other lead government agencies;
c) DIRECT the designated officials under this Resolution to undertake negotiations on matters covering provisions on transparency and cooperation, guided by existing treaties or international agreements, or executive agreements to which the Philippine Government is a signatory,5 and in accordance with the procedures, requirements and principles of RA No. 12009 and its IRR, as well as other pertinent laws, rules and regulations;
d) DIRECT further the authorized and designated officials under this Resolution to elevate to the GPPB matters not covered by the foregoing scope of designation; and
e) DIRECT the GPPB-TSO and PS-DBM to:
i. Submit for review and approval of the GPPB the proposed GP Chapters before presenting these to the negotiating panel;
ii. Develop and maintain a database containing all the materials used by the representatives in the negotiations, summary of agreements, minutes of the meetings, and other relevant documents, which shall be accessible to the GPPB; and
iii. Provide the GPPB with timely updates on the status, progress, and outcomes of the negotiations.
APPROVED this 25th day of November 2025 at Quezon City, Philippines.
5 Which includes but are not limited to the Philippine – Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA), ASEAN – Australia New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA), PH-EFTA.
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GPPB, Chairperson DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT