糖心原创

Home⇛International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research⇛vol. 7 no. 1 (2026)

Bridging Procurement Gaps Through Digital Tools: Evidence from Selected Philippine National Government Agencies

Mirasol O. Bacarisas | Joy Maan M. Lucos | Shiena Marie Candelasa | Angelica Guzon | Edegar D. Marcos | Margareth Apar-aberia | Bernandino P. Malang | Jocelyn DS. Malang

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

Public Procurement and its continuing agenda for transparency, ef-ficiency and accountability in government. In the Philippines, gov-ernment efforts towards digitalization seek to modernize the pro-curement process with systems that are intended to make bidding more accessible and transparent. Yet even with these reforms, many agencies remain plagued by delays and inefficiencies, indicat-ing that the transition to digital platforms hasn’t gone far enough. This paper examines how digital tools can mitigate the distance be-tween innovation and performance in public procurement. A mixed method research was utilized, combining quantitative survey anal-ysis and quantitative inputs from sixty (60) procurement practi-tioner from selected national government agencies in the National Capital Region. Analyzed that the main reasons behind procure-ment delays and assess the digital adoption, system compatibility, staff capacity, infrastructure preparedness as well as organizational culture. Results show that digital procurement tools significantly improved transparency and reduced reliance on manual documen-tation, with respondents strongly aggreging on improvements in procurement cycle time (AWM = 4.28), transparency and compli-ance (AWM = 4.30). Additionally, many of the issues have been ad-dressed through the digital channels by transparency and minimi-sation of physical paper work, however, challenges persist, particu-larly on the poor system integration, limited technical skills, unsta-ble internet connectivity and resistance to digital change. Correla-tion analysis revealed a strong and statistically significant relation-ship between the extent of digital tool adoption and operational ef-ficiency (r = 0.606, p = < 0.001), indicating that higher levels of digitalization are associated with reduced procurement delays. The paper suggests building all of these into areas such as policy, in-teroperability between platforms and staff training can have a major impact on procurement performance. They said the transition to digital procurement in government must be the guiding philosophy to benefit from a less costly, transparent and fully integrated e-pro-curement system.



References:

  1. American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psy-chological Association (7th ed.). APA.
  2. Acheampong, E. (2024). Institutional readiness and digital procurement reforms in de-veloping economies. Public Administra-tion and Development, 44(2), 198–213
  3. Ahmad, A., & Barawi, M. (2023). Emerging technologies revolutionizing public
  4. procurement. Business, 14(2), 23 
  5. Asian Development Bank (ADB). (2020). E-procurement for public sector efficiency: Lessons from Asia and the Pacific. Asian Development Bank.
  6. Bolaños, J. C. S., Diaz, Y. E. S., Lalaguna, J. D. A., Malang, B. P., & Malang, J. D. S. (2024).Optimizing Digital Transition: Ad-dressing Challenges in Modernizing In-ventory Systems in Primary Healthcare Facilities. International Journal of Multi-disciplinary: Applied Business and Educa-tion Research, 5(11), 4398–4412. 
  7. Braun V, & Clarke V (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Re-search in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. 
  8. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Re-search design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Sage Publications.
  9. Cruz, M., & Sajo, R. (2022). Digital procure-ment in the Philippines: Evaluating effi-ciency and integration challenges. Philip-pine Journal of Public Administration, 66(2), 55–72.
  10. Department of Budget and Management (DBM). (2020). Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) manual.
  11. Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB). (2023). Republic Act No. 9184: Government Procurement Reform Act and its implementing rules and regula-tions. 
  12. Hochstetter, J., & Lopez, A. (2023). Transpar-ency and e-government in electronic pub-lic procurement. Sustainability, 15(5), 4672. 
  13. Joshi, A., Kale, S., Chandel, S., & Pal, D. K. (2015). Likert scale: Explored and ex-plained. British Journal of Applied Sci-ence & Technology, 7(4), 396–403. 
  14. Lachica, J. M., & Dela Cruz, R. A. (2024). Organ-izational readiness and digital transfor-mation in Philippine public agencies. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration, 46(1), 45–61.
  15. Lombres, C. P., et al. (2020). Streamlining solu-tions for procurement management through automation: A Philippine case. Proceedings of the International Confer-ence on Information and Knowledge Management. SciTePress.
  16. Lopez, P., & Hassan, D. (2024). Barriers to e-tendering implementation: Insights from the construction sector. Sustainability, 17(5), 2052. 
  17. Magdaraog, M. (2025). Digitalization of the procurement process in the Department of Public Works and Highways in the Province of Masbate. International Jour-nal of Education, Business and Economics Research, 5(5).
  18. Navarro, A. M., & Tanghal, J. A. (2024). The evolution of reforms and the state of competition in public procurement in the Philippines (PIDS Discussion Paper No. 2348). Philippine Institute for Develop-ment Studies.
  19. Nisperos, R. (2024). Institutional barriers to digital procurement adoption in South-east Asia. Journal of Asian Public Policy, 17(2), 221–238.
  20. Nisnisan, C. A. (2024). Philippine public pro-curement challenges: A review. TWIST Journal.
  21. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2021). Public pro-curement for innovation: Lessons from OECD countries. OECD Publishing.
  22. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2025). Digital transformation of public procurement. OECD Publishing.
  23. Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). (2017, May 12). Planning gaps in government procurement system cause disbursement delays—PIDS study. 
  24. Seraspe, J. R., Salamat, F. , Malang, B. P. & Ma-lang, J. D. (2024). Enhancing Operational Performance and Decision-Making through a Digital Data Tracking System. International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Re-search, 5(11), 4375-4397. 
  25. Smith, J., & Lee, K. (2024). Measuring public procurement delays: A performance in-dex approach. Journal of Public Pro-curement, 24(1), 55–78. 
  26. World Bank. (2021). E-procurement in the public sector: Building resilience and transparency in government spending. World Bank Group.
  27. Zhang, L., & Pérez, M. (2024). Global trends in public procurement efficiency research: A systematic review. SAGE Open, 14(1), 21582440241297400. 

Tools


Copyright © 2026  糖心原创 Exclusively distributed by