President Duterte, in an Executive Order (EO), has repealed former Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s EO 235 which streamlined the rules and procedures of defense contracts.
According to official documents released by the Palace Monday (April 17), President Duterte signed EO 18 as it was observed that the implementation of EO 235 signed in 2003 resulted in “bureaucratic and unnecessary delays in the procurement of important defense projects.”
“EO 235 (s. 2003) is hereby repealed. All other rules, regulations and issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the Order are likewise hereby repealed or amended accordingly,” EO 18 stated.
Arroyo’s EO 235 stressed the need to streamline procedures for defense contracts for the expeditious implementation of defense projects and the speedy response to security threats while promoting transparency, impartiality and accountability in government transactions.
The 2003 EO then limited the authority of the Secretary of National Defense (SND) to delegate approvals of procurement contracts and established a single Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (PNP) in its General Headquarters (GHQ).
“Since the issuance of EO 235, the Department of National Defense, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and its civilian bureaus and agencies have identified and operationalized other reform measures to promote transparency, impartiality, and accountability in procurement transactions,” EO 18 stated.
President Duterte’s EO 18 also mandated the SND to identify and institutionalize measures that will effectively monitor the operations of the separate BAC which may be created pursuant to Republic Act 9184 or the “Government Procurement Reform Act of 2003”.
This is to ensure and promote transparency, impartiality, and procurement transactions.
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