Good day to all the members of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) Foundation Inc.
First, I would like to congratulate all of you for having so much to celebrate at your 77th Annual National Convention. I am privileged to be given this opportunity to share with almost 4,500 Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) an affirmation of your service, excellence, and indispensable impact on the lives of Filipinos.
I believe that the theme, “Play it Forward: Securing a Sustainable Future,” sums up what you, our dear CPAs, have been doing for the country. By ensuring financial balances, successful registrations and compliance with laws, and payment of taxes, among others, you see to it that our institutions continue to operate and grow. These include our schools, hospitals, government offices, corporations, and small enterprises.
These places are imperative in creating our sense of community. They play a huge role in fulfilling our dreams. They become witnesses of our hard work and dedication to build decent lives. And your presence and diligence in ensuring the integrity and stability of these institutions translate to better living conditions for us.
With your meaningful insights that benefit not just the government and private executives but also the workers, consumers, and the general public, you have contributed to the large-scale growth of the country. Just recently, we welcomed the good news of the country’s high-growth performance of 7.6 percent GDP growth in the third quarter of 2022.
Our economy has been recovering and we thank you for doing your part and helping us get to where we are now. I hope that you will join us as we aim to achieve our goals for the country.
On our end at the Department of Budget and Management, we commit to ensuring the prudent and judicial management of government resources by funding and prioritizing the programs, activities, and projects that will benefit all Filipinos. Through this, we hope to help realize the sustainable future that all of you have been envisioning for the country.
In line with this, we have prioritized in the Fiscal Year 2023 Proposed National Budget the enhancement of our bureaucratic efficiency. We believe that structural reforms in the government are crucial in strengthening the individual efforts that every worker does, including you, our honorable accountants.
We pursued investments in information and communications technology in order to transform and digitalize government processes, records, and databases through e-governance. Php 12.47 billion of the national budget was proposed for our ICT and digitalization programs and projects. The Department of Finance and its attached agencies including the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs will receive Php 3.56 billion for their digital transformation programs.
At the department level, we will fast-track the development and implementation of the Budget and Treasury Management System or BTMS so we can record real-time information on financial transactions across government agencies from purchase to payment. This will be facilitated by the Progressive Budgeting for Better and Modernized Governance or the PBBM Governance Bill which we will forward to Congress for approval and enactment.
As I reiterated a while ago, schools and hospitals, among other institutions, shape our lives. Your expertise and service have been guarding these institutions. Your analysis, advice, and interpretations help leaders and managers make informed decisions. Your role in our public financial management system contributes to building our nation.
As you continue to grow in your field, adapt to changes, and rise above unforeseen challenges, we hope you can be our partners in our Agenda for Prosperity, our partners in achieving our vision of economic transformation that is inclusive and sustainable, that will benefit not only all Filipinos today but also future generations.
Maraming salamat at mabuhay! Assalam Alaikum.
