Metro Manila, Philippines – As the Philippine Government ushers in a new policy for public spending, the National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) Philippines gathered a diverse set of stakeholders to explore how the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA) can leverage partnerships for sustainability, inclusion, and the acceleration of circular economy.

In a webinar led by Atty. Zoilo L. Andin, Jr., a Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) certified specialist, it was underscored how the implementation of the NGPA (Republic Act No. 12009) marks a pivotal shift in how the government uses procurement as a lever for social and environmental progress. Enacted on July 20, 2024, the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 12009 took effect on February 25, 2025.

The NGPA replaces RA 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act, and introduces forward-looking principles which include fit-for-purpose, sustainability, and professionalization principles to guide government agencies in procuring not only efficiently, but also responsibly and strategically.

“Fit-for-purpose is a major change as a principle. The law tells us to choose the most appropriate procurement modality that meets our specific conditions. Finally, the government is telling all of us: use procurement to support the environment and uplift the lives of those at the margins of society. Government should lead the way, and the NGPA is telling everyone that the government wants to lead the way,” said Atty. Andin.

Within its vision of reforming procurement processes, the NGPA introduces ambitious efforts for Sustainable Public Procurement and Inclusive Public Procurement (IPP) to ensure that government spending drives positive outcomes for the environment, local economies, and marginalized communities. It recommends that government agencies prioritize goods, services, and infrastructure with minimal economic, social, and environmental risks throughout the lifecycle.

Atty. Andin emphasized how sustainability under the law extends beyond green products and includes equitable access for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives, marginalized groups, and the informal sector. “The NGPA has reversed the tables. If before the marginalized sector had been waiting for manna from heaven to fall, now it is the law telling government to trigger the demand. Pulling them in, engaging them, and organizing inclusive supplier days.”

During the webinar, Atty. Andin also drew connections between the NGPA and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act of 2022 (RA 11898), highlighting how the two policies hinge on collaboration of various stakeholders in order to succeed and that recent memoranda from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) such as Memorandum Circular No. 2025-012 (Integration of Informal Waste Sector in LGU Ecological Solid Waste Management Programs) reinforce these by encouraging the engagement of informal waste workers, cooperatives, and social enterprises in programs that advance both livelihood and environmental protection.

“The NGPA, GPP, and IPP contribute to circular economy and SCP and the attainment of EPR targets. When we were preparing the IRR for EPR, I would often say that you do not expect obliged enterprises to hire 10,000 people to meet their recovery and diversion targets for the year. Partnerships are essential. If obliged enterprises start rolling out refilling systems, they can enter into agreements with local government units (LGUs) to help promote these systems. Can the LGU be the recovery and diverter? Can it enter partnerships to implement buy-back mechanisms? Can it use its procurement strength to procure recyclables from the villages and sell them as part of their diversion program? The answer is yes,” emphasized Atty. Andin.

As the Philippine government aligns its procurement standards to support its sustainability goals, Knut Ostby, Resident Representative ad interim of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines, said “The NGPA presents an optimistic avenue for partnerships and collaboration wherein every public investment has the potential to advance sustainability, inclusion, and innovation. UNDP Philippines as NPAP Philippines Secretariat continues to support the multi-stakeholder platform’s efforts for partnership building among government, private sector, civil society, academia, development partners, and the communities consistent with its vision to drive systemic change that benefits both people and planet.” 

The National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) Philippines is a locally driven platform uniting leaders from government, business, development organizations, academe, and civil society to tackle plastic pollution and transition to a circular economy. Led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, it is supported by the World Economic Forum’s Global Plastic Action Partnership and partners like the UK Government, the Government of Canada, and the Coca-Cola Foundation. Its technical secretariat in the Philippines is UNDP. 

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