President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday urged lawmakers to pass two measures that will improve government procurement and auditing.

During his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos said enacting a new government procurement law and government auditing code would strengthen the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, which is deemed as a “transformative” solution amid the changing times.

“Once again, on this same principle, I urge Congress to enact a new Government Procurement Law and a new Government Auditing Code, to make government procurement and auditing more attuned to these changing times,” he said.

He noted that collaboration is the “key” between and among government offices; between government and the private sector; between industries and the academe; between government and international partners; and between and among Filipinos.

“Kakailanganin natin ang tulong at kakayahan ng buong pamahalaan at ng buong bansa (We will need the help and skills of the whole government and entire nation). And so, we shall do the same for the next five years. We seek not only to become more effective, but more, to become truly transformative,” he said.

Marcos said this approach would be operationalized through inter-agency cooperation, as well as through coordinated efforts between and among the three branches of government, and the independent constitutional bodies.

He added that private sector advisory councils and national-local mechanisms have also been organized to establish the needed linkages.

In terms of improving the collaboration between the local and national government, Marcos said the Mandanas-Garcia ruling of the Supreme Court in 2018, which reflects the mandate of the Constitution and the Local Government Code, will take effect “soonest”.

Almost all the required devolution transition plans of the local government units (LGUs) are done, he added.

“To fully prepare them for optimal devolution, the necessary technical and financial assistance is being extended to our local governments,” he said.

“In everything that we do, the enduring Filipino quality of Bayanihan will be our guide,” the President said. (PNA)