Law's IRR sought

CEBU, Philippines — The science, technology, and innovation (ST&I) community has made a strong appeal for the immediate issuance of necessary guidelines to fully implement Republic Act No. 12009, also known as the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA).

During the Science Police Forum on RA 12009 and Stakeholders Consultation for the Formulation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations in Visayas last February 19, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-7) and National Academy of Science and Technology raised concerns regarding the delay in issuing supplementary guidelines.

The law, which aims to provide more flexibility in government procurement processes, was signed on July 20, 2024, with its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) approved on February 4, 2025, and published in the Official Gazette on February 10, 2025.

The NAST PHL alongside the University of the Philippines (UP) and various research institutions, are already seeking those guidelines needed to operationalize Section 37 which is the Direct Procurement for Science, Tchnology, and Innovation.

Flor Rissa Ofilada, a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Procurement and University of the Philippines Procurement Division, emphasized that while the law introduces much-needed reforms, critical provisions remain in limbo since there was a resolution that outlineed provisions that still require further guidelines for effective implementation.

“So nandito po tayo, para po umapela. Umaapela ang Science, Technology and Innovation community behind na po ang ating research and development,” said Ofilada.

According to NAST PHL, procurement bottlenecks have long plagued the research and development sector in the country. Historically, the restrictive nature of RA 9184, the previous Government Procurement Reform Act, resulted in delayed projects, missed opportunities, and an overall decline in research productivity.

The academia added that these challenges have been documented since the 1950s and continue to impede scientific progress.

That is why the creation of RA 12009 introduces several improvements in procurement processes, including the direct acquisition where the threshold for direct purchases has been raised from P50,000 to P200,000, reducing bureaucratic hurdles for smaller purchases.

Another thing Ofilada mentioned is the Small Value Procurement (SVP) wherein The limit for SVP has increased from P1 million to P2 million, allowing for faster acquisition of research materials.

New procurement modes such as competitive dialogue, unsolicited offer with bid matching, and direct procurement for ST&I have been introduced.

Despite these advancements, the absence of specific guidelines has left many researchers  uncertain, unable to fully utilize the new provisions.

Ofilada underscored the urgency of issuing the missing guidelines.

“Ang ginagawa ng ating scientists, researchers, innovators ay para sa ikauunlad ng bawat Pilipino. Bigyan na po sila ng paraan para magastos ang pera para magawa ang mga eksperimento," she said.

She stressed that science experiments require precise materials, and the lowest bidding system often compromises quality.

“Ito ang problema, just like in experiments, precision is crucial. When the lowest bidding is applied, quality may suffer, which affects research consistency," she added.

NAST PHL and UP have already proposed procurement guidelines tailored for ST&I. However, they are urging the government to swiftly review and approve these recommendations to prevent further disruptions in research activities.

She added the guidelines must be issued before February 25, 2025, to ensure prompt execution of the law’s provisions.

“Sa akin nga i think procurement is the first line of defense against corruption dahil national budget natin,” Ofilada pointed out.