To the organizers of this event, GoodGovPH, led by Dexter Arvin Yang,
To our participants: civil society organizations, youth leaders, policy advocates, members of the press and academe,
And to all advocates and champions of good and open governance:
Good morning!
Assalamu alaikum wa Raḥmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
It is my honor to deliver the keynote message, although virtually, at this year’s Good Governance Conference. This event is a great opportunity to shine a light on how the youth can help shape our nation’s development through sustaining civic participation, calling for accountability, and fostering democratic engagement.
With that, allow me to express my sincerest appreciation to the GoodGovPH for creating this space to amplify the voices of young leaders and strengthen our shared commitment to good governance—within and beyond elections.
As you know, we are currently in a “super election year” due to a series of significant elections taking place nationwide. We held our national and local elections (NLE) in May, which will be followed by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary elections in October. Through these, we reinforce our commitment to democratic governance and local development as cornerstones of our Agenda for Prosperity.
I am happy to note that during the May elections, we witnessed a groundbreaking improvement in voter turnout, reaching 82.2 percent—the highest midterm poll turnout in history! What’s even more inspiring is knowing that the youth played a significant role in this milestone.
According to the most recent data, Gen Z or registered voters aged 18 to 29 total almost 20 million— that’s nearly a third of the electorate! So, to those who braved the heat and long lines at their precincts last May, know that you did more than just cast your vote on a piece of paper—you made your voice heard and amplified the call for a more open, accountable, and participatory governance.
And so we, at the DBM and the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), will always believe in the power of the youth and continue to make youth participation in governance a more rewarding and meaningful endeavor.
First, we create and open spaces for dialogue. Through Executive Order No. 31, we have integrated the principles of open governance into our policies and systems. This institutionalizes not just our partnership, but also our responsibility to bring the government closer to the people, and making it open for their insights and contributions.
In 2023, we held the first-ever National OGP consultation with the youth, including children, to gather insights about the relevance of the 6th PH-OGP National Action Plan (NAP) commitments to their lives.
Since then, we continued involving student leaders and youth officers in our OGPinas! Nationwide Advocacy Campaign in all the 15 runs that we conducted across the country.
This year, we have provided a platform for the youth to engage in high-level discussions and contribute to the global conversations during the OGP Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting in February. GoodGovPH even held a side-event on anti-corruption, joining us in our initiatives to strengthen transparency and accountability in our governance systems.
Just last month, during the celebration of Open Gov Week, we listened to the dreams of children, especially their vision for the kind of country they hope to see and the kind of future they wish to have. We also held the historic economic dialogue with civil society, wherein we reinforced our commitment to enhancing citizen engagement in the national budget process.
Most importantly, we empower our youth through targeted budget allocations for education.
Consistent with our Constitutional commitment, we allocated the largest share of our Fiscal Year 2025 National Budget to the Education sector, amounting to Php 1.055 trillion. This is in line with our mission to ensure that every Filipino has access to education, starting from early childhood all the way through higher education.
In line with this, we released Php 1 billion to support the establishment of Child Development Centers (CDCs) in 328 low-income LGUs across the country—benefiting 89 LGUs in Luzon, 106 in the Visayas, and 133 in Mindanao, including BARMM.
Some Php 27.25 billion is also allocated for the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Program, which provides free tuition in all SUCs, education subsidies, and student loan programs.
Beyond these budget allocations, we are also implementing reforms that respond to the call of our citizens to strengthen the public’s trust in the government.
First of all, we have updated our decades-old procurement law to better align with the needs and realities of our people today. The New Government Procurement Act introduces mechanisms to promote transparency, curb corruption, and improve bureaucratic efficiency, making it the biggest anti-corruption measure in the country’s recent history.
Towards energizing the open governance space in the Philippines, I am proud to share that our OGP Localization efforts are showing promising results, with the OGP Local Members launching their local action plans and implementing their respective OGP initiatives in their communities.
On the national level, we are advancing the passage of the Right to Information (RTI) Law, as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. emphasized that our citizens can only truly participate in governance if they have access to information. I am confident that we will soon have our own RTI Law, especially now that we have so many allies advocating for this cause, including GoodGovPH.
And we need more champions of good and open governance like you, whose votes, voices, and vision can help us continue making spaces for dialogues and implement reforms that foster a culture of trust and accountability.
Remember, nation-building is not reserved for those in power; it is our shared responsibility. Let us work together to shape a more open, accountable, and inclusive Bagong Pilipinas where every policy, program, and reform is responsive to the needs and aspirations of every Filipino.
Maraming salamat po! Mabuhay ang kabataang Pilipino!
Wabillahi Tawfiq Wal Hidaya, Wasalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.
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