A green public procurement project that will promote the use of environment-friendly products and services in the market was launched by different government agencies and other institutions in the Philippines in January. Those present also signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the pilot project and included Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Analiza Teh, Trade and Industry Undersecretary Zenaida Malaya, Philippine Center for Environmental Protection, Sustainable Development Inc. Dr. Nereus Acosta; Dr. Lilia De Lima of Philippine Economic Zone Authority and Shantanu Roy of the International Green Purchasing Network (IGPN).

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje expressed optimism that the signing of the MoU would hasten the implementation of the Green Procurement Program in the public sector, “With the MoU, and with government being the country’s biggest consumer of goods and services, we hope to encourage more companies, especially small and medium enterprises, to shift to environment-friendly business practices, provide choices by making green products and delivering green services not only for the government’s supply chain but for every consumer in the country as well”.

Under the MoU, the agencies and organisations involved will undergo training on green procurement and enlist the participation of all officials, related offices, businesses and other stakeholders involved in their supply chain. They will also assist the PCEPSDI, which acts as the NELP-GCP Secretariat, in data gathering, report preparation, and promotion and advocacy campaign for the Green Procurement Program.

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