Under the Government Procurement Reform Act (GPRA) or Republic Act No. 9184, the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) approved GPPB Resolution No. 01-2023, adopting strategies towards gender-responsive procurement policies. This initiative aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, particularly promoting sustainable public procurement practices in accordance with national policies and priorities. Inspired by the United Nations’ call to use procurement as a tool for gender equality, the resolution defines gender-responsive procurement by considering the impact of goods, services, and works on gender equality.
The GPPB Resolution supports an enabling environment that stimulates equal opportunities for women-owned and women-led businesses to participate meaningfully in public procurement and government contracting. As a strategy, the GPPB will establish an inclusive capacity development program for suppliers, including mentoring for women-owned and women-led businesses, to ensure and enhance supplier diversity in public procurement. This will ensure wider and more inclusive participation of suppliers in public procurement, thereby enhancing competition and value for money.
The New Government Procurement Act (RA 12009) further strengthens this initiative by mandating Procuring Entities to prioritize inclusivity across all procurement activities, focusing on gender equity, ethnic diversity, poverty alleviation, and adherence to labor standards. This approach ensures that procurement is a powerful driver of socio-economic progress, fostering opportunities for women and marginalized groups.
This year, the GPPB and its Technical Support Office held a three-day training for women-owned and women-led businesses, entitled ‘Empowering Women Entrepreneurship,’ from August 27 to 29, 2024, at the GPPB-TSO Building in Quezon City.
🔍 Stay tuned for more updates on the NGPA’s innovative procurement strategies!
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