Makati Business Club (MBC) Executive Director Rafael Alfonso “Apa” Ongpin praised Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah “Mina” F. Pangandaman for her leadership in promoting fiscal transparency, calling the 2025 national budget the “most transparent and open budget in Philippine history.”

 

“The 2025 [national] budget, which came under so much scrutiny, came under that scrutiny because it was the most open budget in Philippine history. That’s to the credit of the DBM team,” MBC Executive Director Ongpin said during the Open Government Week 2025 Partners and Stakeholders’ Reception.

 

“In that spirit, I’d like to commend Secretary Pangandaman and the DBM for taking a concrete step in that direction by holding a civil society consultation on the national budget earlier this week. It’s a strong signal that more inclusive and participatory budgeting is possible and that the perspectives of citizens, reform advocates, and the private sector are being welcomed at the table,” he added.

 

The DBM made history during the Open Gov Week by facilitating a dialogue between civil society organizations (CSOs) and the country’s Economic Team, a first in Philippine fiscal policymaking. The initiative, originally proposed by CSOs during the 2025 OGP Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting, has now been realized under Sec. Mina Pangandaman’s watch.

 

The business leader also conveyed the MBC’s trust and confidence in the Open Government Agenda and in Secretary Mina.

 

“Makati Business Club expresses its support, for Secretary Mina and for the Open Government Partnership several times, even before this cabinet shuffle came up. And we’re trying to send a message to the President saying ‘You’ve got a great team. You know… Better keep it,’” the MBC Executive Director stated.

 

Meanwhile, Secretary Pangandaman credited the country’s progress in advancing open governance to the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

 

“Since the inception and institutionalization of the Philippine Open Government Partnership under the leadership of no less than President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., we have moved steadily from commitment to action,” she remarked.

 

“We’ve demonstrated that open government is not just a passing trend—it is a working principle embedded in how we plan, spend, consult, and reform,” the Budget Secretary further explained.

 

Earlier this month, Mr. Ongpin, on behalf of the business community, likewise commended the Executive branch, led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. due to its ongoing efforts to advance the people’s right to access information.

 

According to Ongpin, the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill is expected to significantly impact the business community by promoting transparency, accountability, and quality citizen participation.

 

“I should point out, and I always point this out to people that, generally speaking, the branch of government that resists Freedom of Information the most is the Executive, right? Not just because they have something to hide but it’s because it is a lot of work for them, you know. They are actually an expense. They are actually to create teams to service the public with this information. So generally speaking, [the] executive branches of government tend to resist Freedom of Information. The opposite is the case with the Marcos [Jr.] administration,” Ongpin said.

 

The Open Government Week 2025, organized by the DBM and the PH-OGP Secretariat, brought together leaders from government, civil society, the youth, and business, and development sectors. The weeklong series of events highlighted reforms promoting transparency, accountability, and citizen participation.

 

Reflecting on these achievements, MBC Executive Director Ongpin underscored the value of collective effort in sustaining governance reforms. “At the end of the day, open government is not just the job of government,” he said. “It’s a shared effort. It takes business, civil society, the media, and active citizens. And events like this remind us that while the work isn’t easy—we’re not doing it alone,” he ended.

 

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