Warp speed

President Bongbong Marcos asked Congress to prioritize the anti-dynasty bill and several other pieces of legislation demanded by civil society groups.

- ALEX MAGNO

He even spoke of increasing use of artificial intelligence to improve bureaucratic efficiency.He should have included a thorough review of the Procurement Law — not only to close down loopholes for corruption but also to enable government to acquire cutting edge technologies in a timely manner.

The existing procurement legislation suffers from many defects. Among those is the protracted procurement process that prevents government from acquiring the right equipment to fulfill its mission.

For example, if a government agency is fortunate enough to receive funding for smartphones for the communications needs of its employees, it will likely opt for the cheapest model available. This will allow the agency to stretch its funds to allow more people to acquire the gadget. After deciding on what to buy, a long procurement process ensues.

Normally, it will require at least six months to complete all the requirements to adhere to the procurement law. During this period, the agency issues notices to bid, conducts technical evaluation of the product and win the necessary approvals. Sometimes losing bidders contest the award and the process extends much longer.

By the time the agency actually procures the low-end equipment it decided on, technology has moved ahead. Major smartphone providers such as Apple, Samsung and Huawei would have released new models whose capabilities outstrip the price. The equipment the agency procured had depreciated even before they are used by its employees.