In photo— DPPPP graduates with: (L-R, seated) Atty. Genmaries Entredicho-Caong, GPPB-TSO Deputy Executive Director Atty. Elmira Caisido, DAP Senior Vice President Magdalena Mendoza, DAP President Antonio Kalaw, Jr., DBM Secretary Florencio Abad, World Bank Lead Procurement Specialist Atty. Cecilia Vales, GPPB-TSO Executive Director Dennis Santiago, GPPB-TSO Deputy Executive Director Atty. Melissa Santiago-Yan, DAP-CFG Managing Director Imelda Caluen (first row, 2nd from right), COA Director Wilfredo Agito (first row, right) and DOF Economist Mr. Lester Pawid (second row, right).

Budget  Secretary  Florencio  B. Abad served as Keynote Speaker at the culminating activity of the Development Program for Public Productivity Practitioners (DPPPP) at the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) last 12 May 2015.

In his speech, Secretary Abad recognized the importance of the training program as a significant step towards the professionalization of government procurement practitioners in the country. He said  that  this  initiative is a contributing factor to the administration’s procurement reform and governance efforts. He also highlighted that underspending has been a problem of the Philippine bureaucracy, however, this can be solved through effective procurement planning.

DAP_31421
In photo— DBM Secretary Florencio Abad delivers his inspirational message before procurement practitioners.

Lastly, he challenged the graduates to make a difference in their own significant ways.  “You role as skills builders and how well you can perform that function will help  steer  the  bureaucracy  further  on  the course of good governance and competitiveness,” he said.

The  Government  Procurement  Policy  Board  (GPPB)  tapped  the  services  of  the  DAP to implement Professionalization and Capacity Development of Procurement Practitioners in the Philippines to strengthen the capacity of government procurement practitioners and ensure the effective  implementation  of  the  Government  Procurement  Reform  Act  (GPRA) through the conduct of the GPPPP.

The  35  graduates  of  the  44-day  training  program came from different state universities and colleges  (SUCs),  DBM-Procurement  Service, PhilGEPS, GPPB-TSO, and  the  Office  of  the Ombudsman.