Imagine a scenario where every peso spent by the Philippine government, from small everyday goods such as toilet paper to big purchases such as government vehicles, does not just fulfill a need but actively contributes to a more sustainable future.

Green Public Procurement (GPP) can make this happen. Public procurement accounts for a major contribution to the country’s GDP; here, the government acts as a major economic consumer. Every year, the government spends billions of pesos to procure goods and services for office and project use. This immense purchasing power, if strategically directed, can catalyze a sustainable market. In the policy brief Advancing Sustainability through Green Public Procurement (DLSU-CBRD), we review gaps and provide recommendations on how the government’s procurement process and decisions could lead to sustainable change.

So, what exactly is GPP? Well, this is not a new policy idea. At its core, GPP is about making conscious choices to buy products and services that minimize harm to our environment throughout the products’ entire lifecycle. When the government commits to buying green (for example, the purchase of eco-certified tissue paper, or availing the services of sustainable training facilities), it creates ripple effects. The green demand pushes interested potential vendors and suppliers to shift their practices and offerings to sustainable goods and services. Then, as manufacturers offering sustainable goods increase, the market will have more sustainable options. This movement builds consumer trust in sustainable goods, sending a clear message for a sustainable market. To date, the Philippine market is still young and raw when it comes to sustainability.

The journey of the Philippines towards GPP began with Presidential Executive Order 301/2004, which introduced green mechanisms into public procurement. Further progress was made with the institutionalization of the 2017 GPP Roadmap, incorporating green criteria for various items under the 20 common-use and non-common-use supplies and equipment (CSE and non-CSE). The New Government Procurement Law (RA 12009) introduces sustainability into the legal framework; however, it provides limited guidelines on GPP. Lastly, NEDA’s Philippine Action Plan for Sustainable Consumption and Production (PAP4SCP) cited GPP as an initiative for greening infrastructure and markets. In NEDA’s PAP4SC, which is the overarching national roadmap for the government, it has integrated GPP into the short-term, medium-term, and long-term outcomes and goals in advocating for sustainable consumption and production.

Despite these promising commitments, our review reveals critical gaps that affect the successful implementation of GPP. Firstly, there are limited green options or scarcity in the availability of CSE and non-CSE products that meet the green technical specifications. Secondly,  there is a lack of a training and monitoring system to properly train local agencies, integrate succession planning, and effectively monitor adherence to GPP principles. Thirdly, there are no incentives for the private sector to make the costly traditional production shift toward sustainability. Fourthly, the National Ecolabeling Programme - Green Choice Philippines (NELP-GCP) is underutilized and barely integrated into public procurement, leaving many eco-friendly products outside the system. Lastly, there is a delayed evaluation. Meaning the review and evaluation of implementation will not occur until 2031, which means that the implementation process is missing out on years of learning, adjustment, and progress.

Now, there is a need to act quickly in incorporating sustainability in GPP; therefore, we provide suggestions to achieve this. First, we must operationalize GPP at all levels of government, through training and clear, measurable goals beyond R.A. 12009 and its IRR.  Next, ecolabels should be formally recognized and integrated into procurement processes and plans following models in Japan, Singapore, and France. Third, the private sector needs meaningful incentives such as tax subsidies, points in bidding, or discounted certification fees. Fourth, the online procurement directories must be improved for easy navigation and should include content on green products and suppliers. Lastly, evaluation of implementation is proposed to adopt the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) framework, where implementation should be tracked in real time, issues are addressed promptly, and improvements are guided by evidence.

Model countries in Asia, Europe, and America showed successful sustainable public procurement. The government has purchasing power and plans; with practical recommendations and good governance, green public procurement can be a catalyst in shaping a better and greener market.