[Washington, D.C.]— Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman met with Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency (GIFT) Network Director Juan Pablo Guerrero and International Budget Partnership’s Suad Hasan on Tuesday, 11 April 2023.

The GIFT is a global network that facilitates dialogue between its stewards and partners from governments, civil society organizations, international financial institutions and other stakeholders to find and share solutions to challenges in fiscal transparency and participation.

During the meeting, GIFT Network Director Guerrero lauded Secretary Pangandaman for ensuring that the DBM, a founding member of GIFT, remains a prime example of fiscal transparency in Asia. He noted that the DBM has been consistent in its commitment to having an open budget in spite of changes in administrations through the years.

Guerrero emphasized that the DBM, as an institution, “has always pushed for the agenda of achieving transparency and participation with great resilience.”

For her part, Budget Secretary Pangandaman reiterated the DBM’s commitment to transparency and building public trust, sharing the efforts of the DBM to push for more meaningful citizen participation in the budget process.

“Transparency is key to building public trust. The DBM and GIFT will work closer together to ensure and elevate transparency efforts to make the Philippines a prime example of fiscal transparency not only in Asia but in the world,” DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.

Also tackled during the meeting were suggestions and ways forward to: improve the ranking of the Philippines in the Open Budget Survey (OBS); the formulation of an Annual Physical Report which contains narrative and complete information on budget execution, detailing the performance of other implementing agencies of the government; the enhancement of participatory budgeting; and the development of a Fiscal Transparency Portal.

Pangandaman is in Washington DC, along with other members of the Philippine economic team, for the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings and the 2nd Philippine Economic Briefing in the United States. She was joined by DBM Undersecretaries Margaux Salcedo and Joselito Basilio.  

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