To the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) Chairman Atty. Pete Maniego, Jr.; 

ASEAN Business Leaders; 

Board of Directors and Officers from publicly listed and government-owned and controlled corporations, financial institutions, insurance companies, medium-sized enterprises, and non-profit organizations; 

And to all our champions and advocates of good governance; 

Good afternoon. 

Assalamu alaikum wa Raḥmatullahi wa Barakatuh. 

First of all, happy 25th anniversary to the Institute of Corporate Directors! Thank you for advocating and instituting global corporate governance standards for the past 25 years.  

Also, allow me to express my gratitude for this opportunity to be part of your first-ever ICD Global Governance Summit. It is an honor to discuss and advance the practice of good governance with esteemed leaders, experts, and stakeholders. 

Aligned with the theme, “Leading the Future, Strengthening Unity,” the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) assures you of our commitment to leading the Philippines into a better future by enhancing transparency and building trust in the Government.  

As the department responsible for ensuring the efficient and sound utilization of public funds—or the Filipino people’s budget—DBM aims to be a beacon of integrity in government. 

In fact, we have secured the top spot for budget transparency not just in Southeast Asia but in the whole of Asia based on the 2023 Open Budget Survey results. This is because of our timely and comprehensive publication of all key budget documents that are open for public review and scrutiny. 

And in affirmation of our commitment to a transparent and trustworthy government, I am very proud to share that the Philippines is one of the eight founding members of the Open Government Partnership (OGP)—a multilateral initiative that promotes transparency, empowers citizens, fights corruption, and harnesses new technologies to strengthen governance.  

In 2023, we institutionalized the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP) through Executive Order No. 31, and have since achieved several milestones in open governance. 

First, we produced the 6th PH-OGP National Action Plan (NAP), the country’s first-ever medium-term action plan on open government. 

We also launched the OGPinas!, our flagship nationwide advocacy campaign to strengthen public participation, reaching even the country’s farthest regions. But more than an advocacy campaign, we are actively practicing this by integrating public participation in our budget process through the Support and Assistance Fund to Participatory Budgeting. This will provide 75 municipalities nationwide with access to safely managed and resilient water supply and sanitation services, including climate-smart evacuation centers. 

Our efforts toward public participation have been further strengthened with the enactment of the New Government Procurement Act, which President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed into law on July 20, 2024. This law marks a significant milestone in our vision to modernize the procurement system, increase the participation of the private sector and civil society at all levels of the procurement process, and combat corruption towards a more transparent, accountable, and efficient bureaucracy.  

This is reinforced by our digitalization efforts. Just recently, we endorsed to the President the Public Financial Management (PFM) Reforms Roadmap, our blueprint for modernizing and harmonizing our PFM system.  

Amid these accomplishments, we were entrusted with an even bigger responsibility, as the Philippines—represented by yours truly—was elected as a new member of the OGP Steering Committee, joining countries such as Brazil, Estonia, Morocco, and the United Kingdom.  

But wait, there’s more! The Philippines has also been chosen to host the OGP Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting in 2025! We hope that you will give us your full support for this gathering of OGP member nations in the region. 

All these are a testament to our steadfast commitment to the OGP principles of transparency, accountability, and public participation in government. And these will only drive us forward to achieve even greater heights for a better and brighter future.  

To all the champions of good and open governance, I am grateful for your support in advancing a transparent and trustworthy government. Let us all keep in mind our shared aspiration for a good government where the people are involved, heard, and empowered.  

Thank you again and congratulations, ICD!  

Wabillahi Tawfiq Wal Hidaya, Wasalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu. 

END