The Department of Budget and Management and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) signed an agreement to strengthen the Program Convergence Budgeting approach and the creation of the PCB Steering Committee (PCB-SC).

The changes are being instituted amid controversies involving the national budgets for 2024 and 2025 being used as conduits for pork barrel projects.

The process will ensure that the budget will be in line with the strategies espoused in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028.

Balisacan will serve as the PCB-SC chairperson while Pangandaman will serve as co-chairperson of the PCB-SC.

In his remarks, Balisacan welcomed the signing as “another milestone” in the country’s ongoing journey toward sound economic governance.

“By tightening the links between planning, programming, and budgeting, PCB plays a critical role in ensuring that scarce public resources are effectively allocated toward programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) that align closely with the President’s socioeconomic agenda and with our national development strategies and goals as outlined in the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028,” he said.

Balisacan said this will help streamline the PCB’s incorporation into the planning process of the national budget.

Coordinated PCB implementation

Meanwhile, Pangandaman said the JMC will ensure the coordinated and synergized implementation of the PCB programs.

“As an oversight body, it will ensure the coordinated and synergized implementation of the PCB programs. Specifically, the Steering Committee shall identify approved PCD proposals based on the government’s overarching plan and priorities and monitor the implementation of existing PCB programs among others in order to further include the planning, program, budgeting, continuum and compliance of government agencies,” she said.

She added that through this, the PCB is not “merely procedural,” but concrete actions to break down silos, ensure efficient budget allocation and effectively rationalize the overlapping and redundant programs, activities and projects. 

“We bring together programs and initiatives from across different government units. We are creating a unified and easy plan to address the needs of our people,” she said.