BEYOND BUDGET
Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
I have always believed that real change in government does not always begin with big announcements. More often, it starts in rooms where people sit down, compare notes, and try to make things work better than they did before. That is why the recent alignment meetings between the Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management and electric vehicle suppliers matter more than they might first appear. They were not just for formality. They were working conversations—about specifications, standards, and whether what is being offered truly meets the government’s needs.
Those meetings brought together suppliers from companies like BYD, Kia, MG, Nissan, and Foton. At first glance, it looked like the usual paperwork—technical requirements, compliance documents, and vehicle classifications. But if you look closer, it was really about opening the door. Electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid—these are no longer unfamiliar terms. They are becoming real options for government agencies, and those conversations were the first step in ensuring those options are both reliable and accessible.
I find that part important. Because adding options isn’t just about having more to pick from—it’s about finally being able to make better choices. For the longest time, procurement has been limited not just by process, but by what is available. When choices are narrow, decisions are, too. But when choices expand—when we begin to include vehicles that are more efficient, more sustainable, and less dependent on fuel—we also expand what government can do.
That is where the eMarketplace begins to make a difference. It was meant to simplify and make procurement smarter. Through the platform, agencies can now search, compare, and select from a growing list of suppliers and products. And when you introduce more options into that system, especially something as consequential as electric vehicles, the impact becomes even more meaningful.
I still remember the first transactions when I was the DBM secretary. Four vehicles were delivered to the Insurance Commission, followed by two more to the National Tax Research Center, and 23 units of hybrid multi-purpose vehicles to the Land Transportation Office (LTO). These were not large numbers, but they showed what was possible. More than anything, it was the speed that stood out. What used to take four months was done in just two weeks, delivery included. That kind of change does not just improve efficiency—it reshapes expectations.
But speed alone is not the point. What matters is what that speed allows the government to do. When agencies can procure faster, they can respond faster. When they have access to more options, they can choose what fits their needs and budget best—not just what is available. And when those options include electric and hybrid vehicles, the benefits begin to extend beyond procurement itself.
I have seen how fuel costs can quietly strain operations. They do not always show up dramatically, but they accumulate. Over time, they take away from what could have been used elsewhere. That is why the inclusion of electric vehicles in the eMarketplace is not just about modernization—it is about stability. It gives agencies a way to reduce recurring costs, to depend less on something as unpredictable as global oil prices amid the ongoing Middle East crisis, and to plan with a little more certainty.
This shift also comes at a time when the need for that kind of stability is becoming clearer. With global uncertainties affecting energy supply, the government cannot afford to remain reactive. It has to find ways to cushion itself, to adapt before it is forced to. Expanding the range of vehicles available through procurement is one way of doing that—not abruptly, but steadily. Further, it is not enough to introduce new options; those options must meet standards, deliver value, and hold up over time. That is how trust is built—not just in the system, but in the decisions that come out of it.
We have designed the New Government Procurement Act, the biggest anti-corruption measure in recent history, to make procurement more responsive to changing needs. We wanted a gradual shift in how our government approaches its work. Less constrained by old limitations, more open to better solutions. It is not dramatic, but it is steady—and sometimes, that is exactly what progress looks like. The eMarketplace is one expression of that shift. It is still evolving, still expanding. But it has shown how much can change when processes are simplified and choices are widened.
Beyond budget, we are learning, in our own way, to shift gears. Not by abandoning what works. Rather, it is by improving what does. By adding options where there were few, and by making those options count. This is where real value begins to take shape—not just in how much we spend, but in how wisely we choose.
As Citizen Mina, I believe that, however small the steps may seem, they are moving us toward a government that is more responsive, more resilient, and better equipped to serve now and in the future.
(Amenah F. Pangandaman is the former Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management.)
