Military, COA, DBM pilot agencies for purchase cards in 2012

MANILA, Philippines – Budget Secretary Florencio Abad on Tuesday, January 3, announced that the administration plans to issue purchase cards in pilot agencies within the year.

In a press briefing at the Malacañang palace, Abad said the cashless purchase cards work like debit cards and may be used by government offices to purchase airline tickets, buy gasoline, and others. “The advantage, of that is that you will have an instant liquidation system because the banks will report to you,” Abad explained.

Implementing guidelines for the purchase card system prescribing credit limits per card as well as purposes the cards may be used are still being discussed, a source within the budget department told Rappler.

In a text message to Rappler, however, Abad said the purchase card system will be implemented first, on pilot basis, at the Department of Budget and Management, Commission on Audit, Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Abad said he expects the pilot roll-out to be completed within the first quarter of 2012. “After that, we evaluate and roll-out to the rest of the bureaucracy in 2012,” he added. – Rappler.com