MANILA - The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) remains open to dialogue with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., legislators and stakeholders to address issues hounding its purchasing arm, the Procurement Service (PS-DBM). DBM Undersecretary Joselito Basilio made this remark in response to renewed calls to abolish the PS-DBM after the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged its purchase of PHP2.4 billion worth of allegedly "pricey yet outdated" laptops for teachers. "DBM is open to dialogue with legislators and with the President and many other stakeholders in order to make sure the good intentions of having the PS-DBM [are] achieved," Basilio said during an economic forum hosted by the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines and the San Miguel Corp. on Wednesday. "Reforms are very much welcome with the intention of improving processes and promoting efficiency in the delivery of services to the people," he added. Basilio also
The Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) has suspended the procurement of non-common use supplies and equipment (Non-CSE) for government agencies.
In a statement on Tuesday, Aug. 16, Dennis Santiago, PS-DBM executive director, announced the indefinite suspension on
Led by Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers party-list), the three-member group filed Monday House Resolution 189 directing the committee on good governance to probe, in aid of legislation, the procurement of expensive but outdated laptops by the Department of Education.