𝗗𝗕𝗠 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳: ‘𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲’; 𝗴𝗼𝘃’𝘁, 𝗰𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon emphasized that “listening is also public service” as government and civil society leaders strengthened their partnership on the country’s fiscal priorities, reaffirming the Marcos administration’s commitment to more open, transparent, and participatory governance.

Speaking during the Fiscal Priorities and Economic Dialogue: A DBCC-Civil Society Outlook on 15 July 2026 at the DBM Central Office, Acting Secretary De Leon underscored that meaningful reforms and sound fiscal policies are achieved through continuous dialogue and genuine collaboration between government and the people it serves.

“At the Department of Budget and Management, we believe that listening is also public service,” Acting Secretary De Leon said.

“Every meaningful reform begins with one simple act—the willingness to listen,” Sec. De Leon emphasized.

Organized by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) and the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), the dialogue brought together representatives from government, civil society organizations, the business community, policy research institutions, and the academe to exchange views on the country’s medium-term macroeconomic outlook, fiscal program, and key budget priorities.

The initiative builds on a series of government-civil society engagements launched under the PH-OGP, reflecting the DBM’s continuing efforts to institutionalize citizen participation in fiscal governance and strengthen public policymaking through evidence-based dialogue.

Addressing participants, Acting Secretary De Leon emphasized that government institutions become stronger when policies are informed not only by technical expertise and data, but also by the experiences, perspectives, and constructive feedback of citizens and stakeholders.

“We cannot build better governance alone. We need you—not only as our partners and collaborators—but also as constructive critics who continuously challenge us to improve,” he said.

Acting Secretary De Leon also highlighted that meaningful engagement between government and stakeholders ultimately translates into better public policies and improved outcomes for the Filipino people.

“Every conversation we share today is an investment in better governance. And every better decision we make together brings us one step closer to the kind of government our people deserve,” he added.

The dialogue gathered representatives from the Action for Economic Reforms, Association of Foundations, Ateneo de Manila University School of Government, IBON Foundation, Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance–De La Salle University, Makati Business Club, People’s Budget Coalition, Philippine Public Policy Network, Social Watch, University of the Philippines Los Baños Department of Economics, and the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance, among other partner organizations.

Meanwhile, DBM Undersecretary and Senior Supervising Official of the PH-OGP Program Management Office (PMO) Wilford Will Wong assured participants that the insights and recommendations raised during the dialogue would directly contribute to improving fiscal policies and government decision-making.

“Every insight will be carefully documented and consolidated to actively show our next steps. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that your inputs refine our fiscal policies, making them more responsive, inclusive, and evidence-based,” Undersecretary Wong said.

During the program, DBM Assistant Secretary and DBCC Executive Technical Board Chairperson Romeo Matthew T. Balanquit presented the latest DBCC-approved medium-term macroeconomic assumptions and fiscal program, providing participants with an overview of the country’s economic outlook and fiscal priorities. This was followed by a panel discussion moderated by DBM Assistant Secretary Diana C. Camacho-Mercado, where representatives from the DBCC and participating organizations exchanged insights on key fiscal and economic issues.

The dialogue concluded with a shared commitment among government agencies and participating organizations to sustain regular engagements that strengthen transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in fiscal governance.

Organized by the PH-OGP Program Management Office (PMO) in collaboration with the DBM Communications and Public Relations Group (CPRG) and the Budget Policy and Strategy Group (BPSG), the dialogue reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that fiscal policies remain transparent, inclusive, evidence-based, and responsive to the evolving needs of the Filipino people.