Makati City, Philippines – In a landmark dialogue on health sector transformation, Atty. Maria Dionesia A. Rivera-Guillermo, Officer-in-Charge of the Government Procurement Policy Board – Technical Support Office (GPPB-TSO), brought the voice of procurement reform to the 2025 Healthcare Forum hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) today, 09 July 2025, at the Makati Diamond Residences.
With the theme “Advancing Together: Enhancing Healthcare Access and Innovation in 2025,” the forum gathered policymakers, healthcare leaders, innovators, and private sector stakeholders to push for a more accessible and resilient healthcare system.
Atty. Rivera-Guillermo delivered a keynote address on “Implementing the New Government Procurement Act for Medicines and Medical Technologies”, where she presented the transformative opportunities enabled by Republic Act No. 12009 or the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA).
In her address and the succeeding panel discussion, she outlined how the NGPA addresses persistent challenges in procuring essential medical goods, such as delays, fragmented processes, and limited supplier participation. She also highlighted the role of digitalization and inter-agency coordination in enhancing procurement performance and healthcare delivery.
Her participation reaffirmed the GPPB-TSO’s commitment to supporting national development goals through strategic procurement, especially in sectors as vital as health. The insights she shared provided clarity on how procurement reforms contribute not just to cost-effectiveness but also to greater public trust and improved health outcomes.
The ECCP Healthcare Forum served as a platform for cross-sector collaboration, emphasizing that equitable healthcare access requires not just innovation in treatment and service delivery—but also innovation in how government resources are spent.