President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday declared a firm stance against the misuse of public funds, emphasizing that every peso in the national budget must directly improve the lives of Filipino families.

Speaking at the Philippine Development Forum (PDF) 2025 held at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, Marcos underscored the importance of accountability and efficiency in managing both domestic resources and foreign aid.

“We will not tolerate measurement without action, nor will we tolerate the wastage of public funds. Walang perang sasayangin. Hindi tayo papayag na lustayin ang kaban ng bayan (No money will be wasted. We will not allow the people's money to be misused),” Marcos said in his keynote address.

He stressed that the national budget must act as both a “moral and economic compass” for the country, saying that “every project, every policy, every program, every peso must move the needle for Filipino families.”

As part of this commitment, the President announced that Official Development Assistance (ODA) will be strategically directed toward key sectors such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, social protection, agriculture, and disaster risk resilience.

“These sectors are vital to improving the lives of ordinary Filipinos,” he noted, while also acknowledging that ODA has not always reached its full potential due to bureaucratic bottlenecks and systemic challenges.

To address these, Marcos revealed that the government is revising the Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) guidelines, marking the first major update in ten years. The reforms aim to streamline processes and accelerate project implementation.

He also announced new measures to simplify the issuance of Special Authority, a requirement for mobilizing foreign aid, to ensure assistance is deployed faster and more effectively.

“Be assured that we continue to listen to the concerns and recommendations of our development partners. We are determined to go further,” Marcos said.

The PDF 2025 serves as a high-level dialogue platform between the Philippine government and its development partners, aligning policy and financing priorities with the 2025 policy review outcomes. 

The forum ensures efforts remain harmonized across all sectors to maximize development impact.