/ i:!;ir- JI
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
25 JUL 17 P3 53
SENATE 
S. No. 697
RF.CEIVi j
Introduced by Senator MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A GREEN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROGRAM FOR ALL
BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Public procurement refers to the purchase by the governments of goods and 
services. Governments are expected to carry it out efficiently and ensure not only high 
quality but also long-term sustainable service delivery. However, large scale 
procurements, whether public or private, have adverse impacts on the environment 
that should at least be minimized, if not totally removed or eliminated.
According to the World Economic Forum, public procurement is responsible for 
a substantial proportion of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Governments 
spends approximately $11 trillion annually, that in turn produces 7.5 billion tons of 
direct or indirect GHG emissions, which is about 15% of the world's total.
As a party to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 
the State remains committed to achieving the seventeen (17) Sustainable 
Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Guided by the SDGs and their targets, particularly 
SDG 12 which sets the Sustainable Consumption and Production Goal that is embodied 
in the long-term vision of AmBisyon Natin 2040, the State shall implement programs 
geared towards responsible and sustainable consumption and production with the end 
view of achieving a fully circular economy.


The government can regulate the market, provide necessary incentives, and 
guide the market players in order to meet our climate goals. The government can use 
its purchasing power to choose goods and services with a reduced environmental 
impact that wiil minimize GHG emissions and move towards a circular economy while 
providing financial savings for pubiic authorities.
As the biggest procurer in the country, our government is in the position to take 
the lead in including sustainabiiity as an indispensable factor in production.
Thus, this biil seeks to impiement a Green Public Procurement (GPP) Program to 
achieve sustainable consumption and production in government procurement which 
gives preferential treatment to sustainable products and services.
In view of the foregoing, eariy passage of this bill is earnestiy sought.
MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID
Senator


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
25 JUL 17 P3 :53
SENATE 
S. No. i
Rl CEi - O
Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A GREEN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROGRAM FOR ALL
BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
4 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Green Public
5 
Procurement Act".
6 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes that sustainable
7 
development is a necessary policy for nation-building, and that it plays a lead role in
8 
promoting sustainable practices by incorporating environmental, economic and social
9 
factors in government decisions and processes. Further, the State, as a large
10 
consumer bloc in itself, recognizes that every product or service it purchases or avails
11 
of should be evaluated for its sustainability.
12 
As party to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the
13 
State remains committed to achieving the seventeen (17) Sustainable Development
14 
Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Guided by the SDGs and their targets, particularly SDG 12
15 
which sets the Sustainable Consumption and Production Goal that is embodied in the
16 
long-term vision of AmBisyon Natin 2040, the State shall implement programs geared
17 
towards responsible and sustainable consumption and production with the end view
18 
of achieving a fully circular economy.
19 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
1


1 
a. Green public procurement program refers to a process whereby public
2 
authorities seek to procure goods and services with reduced environmental
3 
impact throughout their life cycle when compared to goods and services with
4 
the same primary function that would otherwise be procured. It ensures value
5 
for money in terms of source, quantity, quality, price, time and delivery. It
6 
prohibits the use of discriminatory criteria such as brands, labels or other
7 
suppliers' requirements that could distort the open competition.
8 
b. Circular economy refers to a new and inclusive economic paradigm that aims
9 
to minimize pollution and waste, extend product lifecycles, and enable the
10 
broad sharing of physical and natural assets. It is a competitive economy that
11 
creates green and decent jobs and keeps resource use within planetary
12 
boundaries.
13 
c. Common-use supplies and equipment refer to those goods, materials and
14 
equipment that are used in the day-to-day operations of procuring entities in
15 
the performance of their functions.
16 
d. Procuring entity refers to the executive, judicial or legislative branch,
17 
constitutional commission or office, agency, department, bureau, office, or
18 
instrumentality of the government of the Philippines, including govemment-
19 
owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), government financial institutions
20 
(GFIs), state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local government units
21 
(LGUs) procuring goods, infrastructure projects and consulting services.
22 
e. Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PHILGEPS) refers to
23 
the electronic system that shall serve as the primary and definitive source of
24 
information on government procurement.
25 
SECTION 4. Establishment of a Green Public Procurement (GPP) Program in all
26 
Branches of Government - The executive, judicial and legislative branches of
27 
government, including constitutional commissions, state universities and colleges
28 
(SUCs), government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), government
29 
financial institutions (GFIs), and local government units (LGUs), shall implement a


1 
Green Public Procurement (GPP) Program to achieve sustainable consumption and
2 
production in government procurement in accordance with the GPP Roadmap
3 
established by the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) for the purpose,
4 
consistent with the governing principles of Republic Act No. 9184, or the Government
5 
Procurement Reform Act.
6 
SECTION 5. Objectives of the Green Public Procurement (GPP) Program. - The
7 
GPP Program shall have the following objectives:
8 
a. To promote the culture of making green, sustainable, and informed decisions
9 
in government, especially in government procurement;
10 
b. To require the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System
11 
(PHILGEPS) in coordination with the Procurement Service of the Department of
12 
Budget and Management to identify all government agencies procuring
13 
common-use supplies and equipment (CSE) and non-common use supplies and
14 
equipment (non-CSE) identified by GPPB as part of the Green Procurement
15 
Roadmap;
16 
c. To promote the preferential use of green criteria in government procurement
17 
whenever possible and practicable;
18 
d. For the relevant government agencies to develop technical specifications for
19 
CSE and non-CSE products, taking into account among others, the following
20 
processes and principles:
21 
i. Development of a standard template consisting of scope, key environmental
22 
impact of a product in terms of its material composition, use and eventual
23 
disposal, product specifications, evidence, verification and references;
24 
ii. Extensive research of GPP technical specifications, taking into account
25 
international and national specifications of countries with extensive GPP
26 
experience;
27 
iii. Documentation of comments and feedback on the technical specifications
28 
of the various products;


1 
iv. Conduct of environmental impact studies of a product in terms of its material
2 
composition, use, and eventual disposal; and
3 
V. Inclusion of employment generation, safe working environment, and
4 
supply-chain management in the formulation of a long-term sustainability
5 
criteria.
6 
e. To establish and include green criteria or specifications developed by the GPPB
7 
in the project or product requirements of procuring entities; and
8 
f. For the relevant government agencies to develop programs for manufacturers
9 
and suppliers of green and sustainable products and services for relevant
10 
government agencies.
11 
SECTION 6. Functions of the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB). -
12 
In addition to its existing functions, the GPPB shall perform the following:
13 
a. Protect the national interest in all matters affecting public procurement, giving
14 
due regard to the country's regional and international obligations;
15 
b. Ensure the incorporation of the concept of sustainability in the procurement
16 
activities of the government. The GPP Program shall be implemented in phases,
17 
taking into account the readiness of both the government agencies as well as
18 
green product suppliers to implement the program;
19 
c. Centralize the information on GPP guidelines and procedure, green criteria,
20 
green product listing of information and verification methods;
21 
d. Design and conduct capacity building and training programs for government
22 
procuring entities and green product suppliers and service providers,
23 
particularly the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to encourage
24 
consistency in the delivery of green products and services and efficiency in
25 
implementing the GPP requirements;
26 
e. Develop incentive schemes, such as recognition or awards for GPP performing
27 
units to increase motivation and catalyze action for better performance and
28 
environmental stewardship; and


1 
f. Establish standard monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to measure the
2 
compliance of procuring entities to the criteria.
3 
SECTION 7. Submission of Pians and Reports. - All agencies shall submit
4 
their respective GPP Programs to the GPPB, the specific requirements and mechanisms
5 
of which shall be defined in the rules and regulations to be promulgated to implement
6 
this Act. The GPPB shall, in turn, submit an annual report to the Committee on
7 
Sustainable Development Goals of the House of Representatives and to the Committee
8 
on Sustainable Development Goals, Innovation and Futures Thinking of the Senate on
9 
the compliance of the different agencies with the provisions of this Act.
10 
SECTION 8. Third-Party Verification. - The GPPB identify competent third-party
11 
verifiers that will assess the environmental soundness and sustainability of the CSE
12 
and non-CSE that will be procured. All agencies of the government identified in this
13 
Act are mandated to comply with the green criteria established by the GPPB, along
14 
with the other technical specifications required by the agency for the particular
15 
procurement, in accordance with the relevant provisions of R.A. No. 9184 and its IRR.
16 
The GPPB shall provide a list of certified environmentally-sound and sustainably-
17 
produced products and services, and accredited testing centers and manufacturers for
18 
reference of the agencies which shall be updated regularly by the GPPB based on the
19 
established green criteria for specific goods and items included in the GPP Program
20 
and Roadmap.
21 
SECTION 9. Capabiiity-buiiding of Government Agencies and Information,
22 
Education and Communication (lEC) Awareness Programs. - The GPPB shall regularly
23 
implement capacity building and information, education, and communication
24 
programs to develop capacities and enhance awareness and understanding on the
25 
implementation of the GPP Program. These programs will include the conduct and
26 
provision of the following:
27 
a. Training needs assessment of the entire public sector;
28 
b. Relevant training programs and modules for all government agencies or
29 
procuring entities;


1 
c. Technical assistance and conduct of awareness programs for suppliers,
2 
particularly the MSMEs; and
3 
d. lEC awareness campaigns and programs for all government agencies or
4 
procuring entities, MSMEs, and the general public.
5 
SECTION 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within thirty (30)
6 
days from the effectivity of this Act, the GPPB shall, in coordination with the
7 
Commission on Audit (COA) and Department of Economy, Planning and Development
8 
(DEPDev), promulgate and issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective
9 
implementation of this Act.
10 
SECTION 11. Separability Clause. — In the event that any part, section or
11 
provision of this Act shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid by a competent court,
12 
the remaining provisions thereby shall remain valid and in full force and effect as if
13 
the sections or provisions so annulled or voided had never been incorporated herein.
14 
SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders,
15 
issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof not consistent with the provisions of
16 
this Act are hereby repealed or modified and/or superseded as case may be by this
17 
Act accordingly.
18 
SECTION 13. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
19 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
20 
circulation, whichever comes earlier.
21 
Approved,