College of Science (CS) Dean Giovanni Tapang held up a little white device as he finished his presentation: “This is a P150,000 component,” he said.
Tapang said in Filipino that only one company in the world makes the devise, but it is having difficulty in registering with Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) as foreign companies are required to register to the agency before they can sell products to local scientists, said Harvey Sapigao of UPD-CS Science Communication.
Marine Science Institute (MSI) Deputy Director Dr. Irene Rodriguez explained that the small device is a resin that filters metals in water.
She said they have a budget but their problem is the availability of the resin.
This and other bottlenecks brought about by the procurement law, or the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184), slow down research and development in the country.
University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) leaders were invited to the Senate hearing to discuss the proposed revision of the procurement law at the House of Representatives on February 21.
Besides Tapang and Rodriguez, among those present were CS Associate Dean Dr. Eizadora Yu, CS Associate Dean Dr. Deo Florence Onda, National College of Public Administration and Governance Dean Dr. Kristoffer Berse, NCPAG Assistant Professor Herisadel Flores, and NCPAG Atty. Lawrence Villanueva.
The procurement law, enacted in 2003, is a set of rules and regulations for using government funds to acquire goods and services. Although meant to deter corruption and promote transparency, the law introduces numerous problems for researchers and scientists.
Among the problems is that products become exorbitantly priced, which hinders research progress.
Berse said that when a product cannot be locally produced, foreign-sourced products can be bought through local suppliers. But this method increases and even doubles the products’ prices.
“In the event that no local suppliers are interested,” he added, “this will result in the loss of access to the target equipment.”
When researchers fail to procure the necessary equipment, they cannot meet project objectives and need to realign budgets. This will “ultimately delay the dissemination of knowledge and information and in providing solutions to our country’s pressing problems,” Berse said.
Moreover, the procurement law impacts the retention of local scientists.
“Once frustrated, they leave [the country] for greener pastures,” Tapang said.
The proposed amendments to the procurement law aim to solve these problems. The revised law, for example, would allow for direct sales and direct acquisition of products in certain circumstances, bypassing the slow bidding process.
Under the proposed amendments, the sole supplier of resin needed for. Rodriguez’s research would not need to undergo bidding.
UPD professors fully support the amendments to the procurement law. They also proposed further improvements and recommendations, such as on how to counteract “abnormally low bids” or bids that offer equipment and services at suspiciously low prices.
One of the authors of the revised law, Sen. Sonny Angara, stated that it is already in its finalization stage and is expected to be finalized in the next two weeks.