As President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. (PBBM) celebrates his birthday, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) joins the nation in recognizing his steadfast commitment to upholding fiscal transparency, ensuring accountability, and promoting good governance.
The reforms being championed by his administration aim to achieve the goal of driving lasting economic development through the President leading a united front for effective fiscal stewardship, together with the DBM, under the leadership of Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.
Bold reforms that safeguard public funds have been initiated, strengthening transparency and promoting accountability. These efforts are setting a new standard for good governance — one that ensures every peso is felt by every Filipino and utilized to advance national development.
Foremost among PBBM’s achievements is the advancement of citizen participation and open governance through the institutionalization of the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), as mandated by Executive Order 31 in 2023.
Recognizing transparency and strengthened civic participation as pillars of democracy, the PH-OGP, chaired by the DBM, continues to achieve great strides in realizing the Open Government agenda.
Demonstrating its commitment as a global leader in open governance, the Philippines successfully hosted the first Open Government Partnership (OGP) Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting in Manila, attended by over 1,000 delegates from more than 40 countries.
After over 14 years of observing Open Government principles, the OGP week has been institutionalized after President Marcos signed Proclamation 916, declaring the third week of May as Open Government Week.
Transparency in government
Together with the DBM, the PBBM administration infuses more transparency and openness into the bureaucracy with the passage of the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA) or RA 12009, hailed as the country’s biggest anti-corruption measure in recent history.
The new procurement law modernizes public procurement processes and introduces internationally recommended practices such as disclosure of beneficial ownership information, open contracting, and participatory procurement — crucial measures that significantly combat corruption.
The NGPA introduces the eMarketplace, an online platform designed to modernize the procurement process, allowing agencies to conveniently “add to cart” essential goods and services, ensuring timely and cost-effective transactions. The eMarketplace significantly reduced procurement time from the usual four-month wait to less than two weeks.
Aside from the NGPA and the eMarketplace, the DBM fulfills PBBM’s directive of leveraging technology for greater efficiency through the Project DIME or the Digital Information for Monitoring and Evaluation. It provides relevant information about project status and progress, including completion rates, funding sources, implementing agencies, and the names of contractors. The DBM successfully launched the Project DIME, a testament to how the administration is serious about driving transparency and accountability in infrastructure monitoring and implementation.
A first in history — the government is set to use blockchain technology for budget transparency and security. The DBM initiated the Blockchain Project to address authenticity issues in various budget documents, such as Special Allotment Release Orders and Notices of Cash Allocation, which are susceptible to tampering once printed or shared externally.
To attain fiscal discipline, PBBM likewise institutionalized the adoption of the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) across the government. Thanks to the EO No. 29 signed by PBBM in June 2023, the IFMIS will ensure seamless and efficient government transactions by serving as a comprehensive digital tool that integrates budgeting, treasury, accounting, and reporting functions.
Equally important among his accomplishments is his continuing push for the citizens’ right to information. To recall, the President reaffirmed his full support for the enactment of the Right to Information (RTI) Law during the Opening Plenary of the 2025 OGP Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting in February 2025.
Once enacted, the RTI is seen as another vital step toward enhancing public access to information and fostering participatory governance in the country.
Lasting legacy
In championing transparency, accountability, and integrity in governance, PBBM is shaping what will be one of his enduring legacies.
The government understands that when public funds are managed prudently, it fosters investor confidence, which will, in turn, generate jobs and stimulate economic growth.
Meanwhile, when people see their taxes being judiciously spent, translated to better infrastructure, quality education, healthcare, and social services, it nurtures social trust, which is key in achieving a strong economy.
With the dependable support of Secretary Pangandaman, PBBM has elevated fiscal management into a moral covenant with the Filipino people: that every centavo shall not be wasted and no Filipino shall be left behind. Hindi guni-guni, hindi nakatengga, kung hindi ang budget ay dapat nararamdaman, napakikinabangan at nakatutulong sa mga mamamayan.
PBBM’s birthday is an opportune time to honor him as a dedicated leader who is laser-focused on restoring trust in government and making the budget a reflection of the government’s commitment to uplift the lives of Filipinos.
Dahil para kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, sa ilalim ng Bagong Pilipinas, ang Budget ng Bayan ay para sa Mamamayan.