The Philippine Center for Economic Development (PCED) of the University of the Philippines School of Economics (UPSE), and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) are once again accepting applications to the PCED-DBM Careership Program in Development Economics.

The Program is open to college graduates aged 24 years or younger, who would like to build a career in development economics and public policy, and with a desire to serve in the government. The Program is now also accepting DBM staff who are 30 years old or younger, with a permanent employment status, and who have at least two years of continuous service to the Department. Successful applicants will be enrolled in the Masters in Development Economics Program of the UPSE.

As scholars, the participants in the program will not pay any tuition or any kind of fee as these will be shouldered by DBM.

Recognized by the Civil Service Commission as a model for agency succession planning, the PCED-DBM Careership Program aims to sustain the production of technically proficient government staff with core competence in undertaking economic analysis and public policy by engaging outstanding educational institutions and training capable scholars for future work at the Department.

Specifically, it will train scholars in understanding the basic principles of economics and build a core competence in quantitative methods, especially as applied to public economics, public finance, budget formulation, and management.

In the present design of the Program, the scholars undergo a refresher course on economic theory and policy analysis, then afterwards, through a meticulous training program composed of no less than 33 units.  

The government’s technical employees are regarded as the “backbone” of the bureaucracy - without them, government agencies are weak and unable to deliver quality services and goods to citizens. DBM understands the importance of keeping technical positions manned and at the same time, training individuals in order to keep a steady influx of capable technical workers, thus the creation of the Careership Program.

Furthermore, the presence of government workers empowered by excellent training helps eliminate corruption, because with strong, competent, and confident employees guarding government processes, illegal and unethical transactions are more difficult to accomplish.

The Careership Program was initiated by DBM Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno and implemented by the UPSE, with assistance from PCED and DBM.  It can be compared to the NEDA program which began over five decades ago and was designed to produce a steady flow of graduates into NEDA and other government agencies

In July 2017, the first batch of scholars for the PCED-DBM Careership Program in Development Economics were welcomed in a ceremony at the Marble Hall, Ayuntamiento, Bureau of the Treasury, by Secretary Diokno and other Senior Officials of DBM.

DBM selected UPSE for its current position as a CHED Center of Excellence and as one of the top schools for graduate studies in Economics in the Philippines. In addition, UPSE has established itself as a feeder school for the national government, having trained numerous graduates who became leaders in the field.

Fresh college graduates who are interested in applying for the program must hold a bachelor’s degree in any social science course.

Applicants must also have graduated with Latin Honors or has a Civil Service Commission Professional Eligibility to qualify. They will undergo a screening process which includes an entrance exam and interviews with PCED and DBM.

Benefits for successful applicants include full-time study, full tuition and miscellaneous fees, salaries and other compensation, and automatic assignment to the position Budget and Management Specialist I with Salary Grade 13 at DBM.

Meanwhile, DBM personnel who wish to enter the Program must be a graduate of any social science course and preferably has not yet earned a master’s degree. The applicant must obtain a nomination from the Bureau/Service/Office head and have an Average Performance Rating of not lower than 3.5 for the last two (2) rating periods.

In addition, the applicant must have no pending administrative case, or a service obligation and application to any other scholarship. He or she must also have not availed of any local or foreign scholarship grant.

Successful applicants will likewise be granted full-time study, full tuition and other miscellaneous fees, and salaries and other compensation. For employees at entry-level positions, they will be automatically considered for a promotion after completing the Program.

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For more information about the PCED-DBM Careership Program, visit www.dbm.gov.ph, or follow @DBMgovph on Facebook and Twitter. Interested applicants may contact the DBM Administrative Service - Human Resource Development Division at telephone numbers (+632) 657-3300 local 3112/2664 and (+632) 735-4807, or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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