To Governor Lilia Pineda of the Province of Pampanga, all the representatives of various national government agencies, heads of various regional line agencies, esteemed members of the Regional Development Council of Central Luzon, representatives from the academe, leaders from the business community, our partners from civil society, fellow public servants, ladies and gentlemen—Mayap a gatpanapun kekayu ngan. (Good afternoon to all of you.)
It is truly a pleasure to be here in the City of San Fernando and to join all of you for the first Regional Economic Briefing of the year.
Allow me first to thank the DEPDev Regional Office III and the Regional Development Council for bringing us together here today. Dacal a dacal pung salamat.
There could not have been a more fitting venue than Central Luzon.
Region III has long been one of the country’s strongest engines of growth—a region where agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, trade, tourism, and innovation come together to drive the Philippine economy. Simply put, when Central Luzon grows, the Philippines grows with it.
That is why today’s gathering is more than just another economic briefing.
It is an opportunity for all of us—national government agencies, local governments, the private sector, the academe, and civil society—to align our efforts toward one common goal: delivering better services and creating better lives for our people.
At ika nga po ng ating mga kapatid na Kapampangan—
“Dakal a Bie king metung a gobyernung Matapat at masalese.”
Mas maraming biyaya ang naihahatid ng isang pamahalaang tapat at mahusay.
And I believe that perfectly captures the very essence of our gathering today.
Just a few days ago, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., in his fifth State of the Nation Address, laid down the Administration’s priorities for the remaining years of his term. His message was clear: economic growth should not merely be reflected in reports and statistics—it must be felt in every region, every province, every city and municipality, and ultimately, in every Filipino home.
Here in Central Luzon, that commitment is taking shape.
Major infrastructure projects, including the North-South Commuter Railway and MRT-7, continue to move forward, promising faster mobility, greater connectivity, and expanded economic opportunities. Likewise, the continued development of our economic zones is expected to attract more investments, create more jobs, and strengthen local enterprises.
These initiatives remind us that national progress becomes truly meaningful only when it reaches our communities. Sabi nga po natin, yung nagla-landing sa ating mga komunidad.
Ladies and gentlemen, our theme today—“Delivering Better Services through Public Sector Efficiency”—sounds very simple.
But behind those words lies a very important question: How do we make every peso entrusted by the Filipino people work harder, smarter, and better?
We should all take to heart that while public resources will always be finite, our responsibility to serve the Filipino people should never ever be.
Today’s Regional Economic Briefing is therefore about much more than economic indicators, fiscal updates, or growth projections.
Those numbers matter.
But only because behind every statistic is a Filipino family. Behind every investment is a livelihood. Behind every infrastructure project is a student who reaches school more safely, a farmer who brings produce to market more efficiently, an entrepreneur who expands a business, and a community given greater hope for a better future.
That is why this gathering is really important.
When government institutions, local leaders, businesses, development partners, and the academe sit together, we create more than just a dialogue—we build partnerships that transform plans into actions and policies into tangible results.
This is because development has never been the work of government alone. It has been and always been a shared responsibility.
At the Department of Budget and Management, we constantly remind ourselves of one guiding principle: Every peso has a human story.
Every budget allocation should eventually become a classroom. A hospital. A farm-to-market road. A scholarship. A livelihood. Or a public service that improves lives.
Because budgets are not simply numbers written in government documents. Budgets are promises translated into action.
Kaya nga po noong pagpasok ko po sa DBM, baliktad na po. Imbes na sila yung nagpa-follow up sa akin, ako pa ngayon yung nagpa-follow up kung ano pa yung hindi nila nare-request.
Public service should always be efficient, and it should be at the heart of everything that we do.
For us at the DBM, efficiency does not simply mean spending less. It means delivering greater value for every peso entrusted by taxpayers. It means removing unnecessary delays, simplifying processes, strengthening coordination, and making government easier—not harder—for every Filipino.
At asahan niyo po, hindi po DBM yung lagi niyong ituturo na nagpapahirap ng buhay sa pamahalaan.
Dahil sa amin po sa DBM, simple lamang ang aming panuntunan. Dito, Bawal ang Mabagal. Dapat Bayan ang Makinabang. At higit sa lahat— Dito, Bida ang Mamamayan.
These principles are now reflected in the reforms we continue to pursue.
Through the New Government Procurement Act, we are modernizing government procurement, promoting greater transparency, encouraging healthy competition, and ensuring better value for public funds.
In fact, through our digital procurement initiatives, government has already generated more than Php 1.0 billion in savings.
Hindi lamang po ito simpleng pagtitipid. Ito ay higit isang bilyong pisong maaari nating maibalik sa taumbayan sa pamamagitan ng mas maraming serbisyo, mas maraming oportunidad, at mas maraming proyektong tunay na may pakinabang.
At kasabay nito, isinusulong din natin ang Government Optimization Program.
Hayaan niyo pong linawin ko ang GOP. Government optimization is not about reducing people, but it is about improving government.
It is about eliminating inefficiencies, strengthening critical functions, modernizing institutions, and ensuring that every office is fully equipped to respond to the needs of our citizens.
A faster government is a better government. And a better government is one that earns the trust of its people.
We are likewise maximizing the opportunities offered by the Public-Private Partnership Code, recognizing that stronger collaboration between government and the private sector can accelerate infrastructure development and unlock even greater opportunities for regional growth, particularly here in Central Luzon.
Ladies and gentlemen, one question we often hear from our fellow Filipinos is this: “Saan ba talaga napupunta ang buwis namin?”
Today, we can finally provide a clearer and more accessible answer.
Just log on to compass.dbm.gov.ph. That is the DBM Centralized Open Monitoring Platform for Appropriations and Spending Statistics—or DBM COMPASS—the country’s first-ever digital platform for monitoring government appropriations and spending. Every Filipino can now easily see how public funds are planned, allocated, and utilized.
We do this because we firmly believe that transparency should never be difficult to access. It should never be limited to experts.
Hindi namin kayo dapat lunurin sa mga excel sheets na hindi niyo na makita kung wala kayong magnifying glass.
It should be, instead, open, understandable, and available to every Filipino and available within your fingertips.
Taken together, these reforms move us toward one common objective: A government that is more efficient, more transparent, more accountable, and more responsive to the people we serve.
As we conclude today’s Regional Economic Briefing, allow me to leave you with one final thought.
Strong economies are not built inside conference halls alone. They are built when national government and local governments trust one another—when businesses invest with confidence, when the academe shares knowledge, when communities participate, and when every public servant chooses excellence…every single day.
Region III has long been one of the country’s economic powerhouses. I have no doubt that together, we can also make it the benchmark for efficient, transparent, and people-centered governance.
And so I leave you with the same wisdom shared by our Kapampangan brothers and sisters:
“Dakal a Bie king metung a gobyernung Matapat at masalese.”
Indeed, a government that is honest, efficient, and responsive delivers greater blessings to its people.
Because in the end, as I always say, good governance is not measured by how much government spends, but by how much better people’s lives become.
On behalf of the Department of Budget and Management, thank you for your continued partnership in building a stronger, more resilient, and more prosperous Central Luzon.
Mabuhay ang Gitnang Luzon, at mabuhay ang Pilipinas!
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