Senate bill backs local bidders in gov’t projects

A BILL seeking to give preference for domestic bidders participating in government projects has been filed at the Senate, aiming to channel billions of pesos in public spending toward domestic enterprises, workers, and communities.

“This measure aims to ensure that the billions spent annually by the government on procurement benefit not just public institutions but also local enterprises, workers, and communities,” Senator Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva said in the explanatory note of Senate Bill No. 1602.

The measure seeks to create a certification program for local bidders and provide them with an advantage when participating in government procurement projects.

Mr. Villanueva added that there is a lack of a standardized system that would certify and prioritize domestic bidders.

The proposed domestic bidders’ certificate will be valid for two years and will be issued and regulated under the Trade department’s Competitiveness Bureau.

The regulator will conduct an ocular inspection on the sites where the goods for bidding were grown, produced or manufactured.

Prospective bidders may only be granted certificates when the goods, supplies, or materials offered for bidding are substantially grown, produced, or manufactured in the country.

“By giving preference to Filipino suppliers and producers, the State strengthens domestic industries, generates quality jobs, and builds economic resilience, especially in the countryside,” the senator added. — Adrian H. Halili