The Department of Budget and Management Regional Office (DBM RO) XIII in partnership with the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) RO XIII successfully convened the FY 2027 Regional Budget Forum on February 4, 2026, at the LMX Convention Center in Butuan City. The event brought together key officials and technical staff from State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), decentralized agencies, regional line agencies, and CSO representatives. The forum served as a strategic platform for aligning regional priorities with national fiscal directions and reinforcing a cohesive, forward-looking approach to development planning.

In her opening message, Regional Director Maria Fe D. Jagna underscored the vital role of regional agencies in translating national policies into concrete and measurable benefits for communities. She noted that as the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023–2028 enters its final phase, the FY 2027 budget will be instrumental in delivering the remaining priorities under the Bagong Pilipinas Agenda for Prosperity. Director Jagna called for the strategic allocation of resources, sustained fiscal discipline, and firm adherence to the Medium-Term Fiscal Framework to accelerate job creation, reduce poverty, and uphold transparency and accountability in public service.

The forum’s technical sessions featured comprehensive discussions designed to guide agencies through the FY 2027 budget preparation cycle. Resource persons from DBM RO XIII provided an in-depth overview of the budget preparation landscape, including detailed guidance on the formulation of Tier 1 and Tier 2 proposals, updated preparation forms, procedural instructions, and the critical calendar of submission requirements to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant proposals. Complementing these discussions, Ms. Graziella C. Harting, Chief Economic Development Specialist of DEPDev RO XIII, presented the Regional Development Council (RDC) Regional Review Guidelines, emphasizing the importance of crafting data-driven and results-oriented proposals aligned with the region’s long-term development targets. She likewise outlined the RDC review process, including submission timelines and coordination mechanisms with DBM, to facilitate efficient evaluation and harmonization of agency submissions.

Capping off the event, DEPDev Regional Director Gemima A. Olam stressed that tighter fiscal conditions demand heightened discipline and a more results-driven approach among agencies. She urged regional offices and SUCs to translate policy directions into concrete, implementation-ready projects and emphasized that aligning proposals with the Caraga Regional Development Plan 2023–2028 Midterm Update reflects the shared responsibility of stakeholders to ensure that public investments contribute meaningfully to the region’s long-term growth and development aspirations. These collective directives and insights set the strategic tone for the region’s budget preparation moving forward.

In closing, the FY 2027 Regional Budget Forum reinforced the critical role of inter-agency collaboration in advancing responsive and development-oriented public expenditure management. By strengthening alignment between national fiscal strategies and regional priorities, the forum not only enhanced agencies’ readiness for the upcoming budget cycle but also reaffirmed their collective commitment to transparency, accountability, and results-driven governance. As agencies move forward with budget preparation, the shared guidance from the forum is expected to translate into well-crafted proposals that will drive inclusive growth and sustainable development across the Caraga Region.