DBM Press Release
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) launched the Midterm Update of the Philippines’ Public Financial Management (PFM) Roadmap 2024–2028, sharpening the government’s fiscal reform agenda under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. by prioritizing high-impact measures that strengthen transparency, accountability, and the efficient use of public funds.
The updated roadmap was unveiled during the Philippine Public Financial Management Forum at the Asian Development Bank headquarters in Mandaluyong City on June 25, bringing together senior government officials, development partners, civil society organizations, and public finance practitioners to reaffirm the country’s commitment to modernizing public financial management.
Faster, more accountable public finance
DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon, Chairperson of the Public Financial Management Committee, said the updated roadmap is designed to strengthen discipline, integrity, and performance in managing public resources.
“PFM is not about managing money. PFM is about improving lives. Every reform must translate into faster services, better outcomes, and greater opportunities for every Filipino. Because every peso in government carries a human story behind it,” Acting Secretary De Leon said.
He explained that the reforms seek to improve how government budgets are planned, released, monitored, and utilized to deliver faster and more responsive public services.
Palace: Reform links policy to results
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, through Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Atty. Maria Luwalhati Dorotan-Tiuseco, said the roadmap is more than a technical reform—it is a governance commitment that ensures government policies translate into timely services for the Filipino people.
“In moments like these [Sarangani earthquake], the government is measured not by likes on social media but by the speed and effectiveness of its response. And that depends not just on the boots on the ground but the agility and responsiveness of our public financial system,” Sec. Recto said in remarks delivered by SDES Tiuseco.
“The families there will never read this roadmap or hear of PEFA assessments, monitoring platforms or reform interventions. They may never know or care that we gathered here today to launch it. But their lives will nonetheless be affected by it—by how swiftly and sufficiently aid reaches their families,” he added.
ADB: PFM is a frontline defense against corruption
Asian Development Bank President Masato Kanda underscored that sound public financial management is essential to good governance and preventing corruption.
“PFM is the foundation for effective governance. It is also a frontline defense against corruption. The ADB maintains a zero-tolerance approach to corruption.”
Kanda said ADB is proud to support the Philippines’ reform agenda through technical assistance and knowledge support.
World Bank: Strong PFM strengthens the social contract
World Bank Global Director for Governance Arturo Herrera Gutiérrez said the reforms reinforce the social contract between government and citizens by ensuring that taxes translate into quality public services.
“The taxes Filipinos are willing to pay and the services they expect to receive from government reflect the social contract of a country… Ultimately, it is about the wellbeing of citizens.”
He reaffirmed the World Bank’s commitment to support the Philippines throughout its reform journey.
People-centered reforms
In his remarks, Acting Secretary De Leon framed the updated PFM agenda around three guiding principles—purpose, friendship, and momentum—emphasizing that the success of reforms should ultimately be measured not by technical indicators but by improved public services and greater public trust.
He likewise stressed that sustained collaboration among government agencies, oversight institutions, development partners, and civil society remains essential to delivering meaningful reforms.
18 priority reforms identified
The Midterm Update streamlines the original 41 reform interventions into 18 priority measures—14 mission-critical reforms and four quick wins—to accelerate implementation and maximize system-wide impact.
The remaining 23 interventions will continue to be pursued based on institutional readiness, available resources, and support from development partners.
PEFA++ assessment drives recalibration
The updated roadmap is anchored on the 2025 PEFA++ Assessment, the country’s most comprehensive review of public financial management systems.
The assessment cited improvements in budget reliability, transparency, cash forecasting, internal controls, and audit coverage, while identifying persistent challenges, including fragmented information systems, continued reliance on manual processes, weak integration across planning, budgeting, execution, and reporting, procurement complaints mechanisms, legislative scrutiny of audit findings, data integration, and the mainstreaming of climate-, gender-, and disaster-responsive budgeting.
These findings informed the recalibration and prioritization of the reform agenda.
Institutional reforms under EO 29
The roadmap builds on Executive Order No. 29, s. 2023, which established the Public Financial Management Committee composed of the DBM, Department of Finance, Bureau of the Treasury, and Commission on Audit to address fragmentation in government financial systems and pursue an integrated financial management system across agencies.
Execution now takes center stage
Officials emphasized that the success of the updated roadmap will depend on effective implementation across government.
Executive Secretary Recto warned that delayed disbursement can worsen crises.
“A slow disbursement system becomes a second preventable emergency, making an already difficult situation worse than it should be. This is the real weight that this roadmap carries into this room,” the ES said.
Acting Secretary De Leon echoed the urgency saying that the “DBM is not a place for slowpokes. And that mindset applies equally to our reform agenda. The Filipino people cannot afford slow reforms, delayed services, and wasted opportunities. The time to act is now.”
NEWS MATERIAL
Department of Budget and Management
Ika-25 ng Hunyo 2026
Pilipinas, inilunsad ang updated PFM Roadmap para pabilisin ang fiscal reforms sa ilalim ni PBBM
Inilunsad ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM) ang Midterm Update of the Philippines' Public Financial Management (PFM) Roadmap 2024–2028, na higit pang pinagtitibay ang fiscal reform agenda ng pamahalaan sa ilalim ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay-priyoridad sa mga hakbang na may malaking epekto sa pagpapalakas ng transparency, accountability, at episyenteng paggamit ng pondo ng bayan.
Ipinakita ang updated roadmap sa ginanap na Philippine Public Financial Management Forum sa punong tanggapan ng Asian Development Bank (ADB) sa Lungsod ng Mandaluyong noong Hunyo 25. Pinagsama-sama ng forum ang matataas na opisyal ng gobyerno, mga development partner, civil society organizations, at mga public finance practitioners upang pagtibayin ang pangako ng bansa na gawing moderno ang public financial management.
Mas mabilis at mas may pananagutang pamamahala sa pananalapi ng pamahalaan
Ayon kay DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon, Chairperson ng Public Financial Management Committee, layunin ng updated roadmap na higit pang palakasin ang disiplina, integridad, at pagganap sa pamamahala ng pampublikong yaman.
“PFM is not about managing money. PFM is about improving lives. Every reform must translate into faster services, better outcomes, and greater opportunities for every Filipino. Because every peso in government carries a human story behind it,” pahayag ni Acting Secretary De Leon.
Ipinaliwanag niya na layunin ng mga reporma na pagbutihin ang paraan ng pagpaplano, pagpapalabas, pagmonitor, at paggamit ng badyet upang maihatid ang mas mabilis at mas tumutugong mga serbisyo-publiko.
Palasyo: Inuugnay ng reporma ang polisiya sa resulta
Sinabi naman ni Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, sa pamamagitan ni Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Atty. Maria Luwalhati Dorotan-Tiuseco, na ang roadmap ay higit pa sa isang teknikal na reporma—ito ay isang pangako sa mabuting pamamahala na nagsisiguro na ang mga polisiya ng gobyerno ay nagreresulta sa napapanahon at epektibong serbisyo para sa mga Pilipino.
"In moments like these [Sarangani earthquake], the government is measured not by likes on social media but by the speed and effectiveness of its response. And that depends not just on the boots on the ground but the agility and responsiveness of our public financial system,” ani Sec. Recto sa kanyang mensahe na ipinabatid ni SDES Tiuseco.
“The families there will never read this roadmap or hear of PEFA assessments, monitoring platforms or reform interventions. They may never know or care that we gathered here today to launch it. But their lives will nonetheless be affected by it—by how swiftly and sufficiently aid reaches their families,” dagdag niya.
ADB: PFM ang pangunahing depensa laban sa korapsyon
Binigyang-diin naman ni Asian Development Bank President Masato Kanda na mahalaga ang mahusay na public financial management para sa mabuting pamamahala at pag-iwas sa korapsyon.
“PFM is the foundation for effective governance. It is also a frontline defense against corruption. The ADB maintains a zero-tolerance approach to corruption.”
Ayon kay Kanda, ipinagmamalaki ng ADB ang suporta nito sa reform agenda ng Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng technical assistance at pagbabahagi ng kaalaman.
World Bank: Pinatitibay ng mahusay na PFM ang ugnayan ng pamahalaan at mamamayan
Sinabi ni World Bank Global Director for Governance Arturo Herrera Gutiérrez na pinatitibay ng mga reporma ang ugnayan ng pamahalaan at mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng pagtitiyak na ang mga buwis na ibinabayad ng publiko ay natutumbasan ng de-kalidad na serbisyo publiko.
“The taxes Filipinos are willing to pay and the services they expect to receive from government reflect the social contract of a country… Ultimately, it is about the wellbeing of citizens.”
Muli rin niyang pinagtibay ang pangako ng World Bank na suportahan ang Pilipinas sa pagpapatuloy ng mga reporma nito.
Mga repormang nakatuon sa mamamayan
Sa kanyang mensahe, inilatag ni Acting Secretary De Leon ang updated PFM agenda batay sa tatlong guiding principles—purpose, friendship, at momentum—na nagbibigay-diin na ang tagumpay ng mga reporma ay dapat masukat hindi lamang sa pamamagitan ng mga technical indicators kundi sa mas mahusay na serbisyo-publiko at mas mataas na tiwala ng mamamayan sa pamahalaan.
Binigyang-diin din niya na mahalaga ang patuloy na pagtutulungan ng mga ahensya ng pamahalaan, oversight institutions, development partners, at civil society upang maisakatuparan ang makahulugang mga reporma.
Natukoy na 18 priority reforms
Pinasimple ng Midterm Update ang orihinal na 41 reform interventions sa 18 prayoridad na hakbang—14 na mission-critical reforms at apat na quick wins—upang mapabilis ang implementasyon at mapalawak ang epekto nito sa buong sistema.
Samantala, ang natitirang 23 interventions ay ipagpapatuloy batay sa kahandaan ng mga institusyon, pagkakaroon ng sapat na resources, at suporta ng mga development partner.
PEFA++ assessment ang naging batayan ng recalibration
Naka-angkla ang updated roadmap sa 2025 PEFA++ Assessment, ang pinakamalawak na pagsusuri sa sistema ng public financial management ng bansa.
Kinilala ng assessment ang mga pag-unlad sa budget reliability, transparency, cash forecasting, internal controls, at audit coverage, habang tinutukoy ang mga nananatiling hamon tulad ng magkakahiwalay na information systems, patuloy na pag-asa sa mga manwal na proseso, mahinang integrasyon ng planning, budgeting, execution at reporting systems, procurement complaints mechanisms, legislative scrutiny ng audit findings, data integration, at mainstreaming ng climate-, gender-, at disaster-responsive budgeting.
Ang mga natuklasang ito ang nagsilbing batayan sa recalibration at pagbibigay-priyoridad sa mga reporma.
Institutional reforms sa ilalim ng EO 29
Nakabatay ang roadmap sa Executive Order No. 29, s. 2023, na nagtatag sa Public Financial Management Committee na binubuo ng DBM, Department of Finance, Bureau of the Treasury, at Commission on Audit upang tugunan ang pagkakawatak-watak ng mga government financial systems at maisulong ang isang integrated financial management system sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno.
Execution now takes center stage
Binigyang-diin ng mga opisyal na ang tagumpay ng updated roadmap ay nakasalalay sa epektibong implementasyon nito sa buong pamahalaan.
Nagbabala si Executive Secretary Recto na ang mabagal na paglalabas ng pondo ay maaaring magpalala sa mga krisis.
“A slow disbursement system becomes a second preventable emergency, making an already difficult situation worse than it should be. This is the real weight that this roadmap carries into this room,” aniya.
Sa kanyang pahayag, inulit naman si Acting Secretary De Leon ang pangangailangang kumilos agad. “DBM is not a place for slowpokes. And that mindset applies equally to our reform agenda. The Filipino people cannot afford slow reforms, delayed services, and wasted opportunities. The time to act is now.”
