To my dearest colleagues and fellow public servants here at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), magandang umaga po sa ating lahat!
Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
First, allow me to congratulate our Legal Service, led by our Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Group, Usec. Janet Abuel and Director Andrea Celene Magtalas, for spearheading this year’s Legal Service Forum on the Fiscal Year 2025 General Appropriations Act’s (GAA) General and Special Provisions.
Now in its fourth year, this LS forum is instrumental in the proper implementation of our National Budget, ensuring the timely, responsive, and efficient use of authorized funds based on existing laws, rules, and regulations.
And there are no better people to lead us in these discussions than our lawyers and legal officers na lagi po tayong ipinagtatanggol, who have dedicated their time and expertise to guiding our department into fulfilling its mandates within the bounds of the Philippine Constitution. So, thank you for your service to the DBM and our nation! Isang malakas na palakpakan!
As you are all aware, our National Budget for FY 2025 has undergone a thorough review to reflect our shared goal of responding to the call of the Filipino people—that “every centavo must go to programs that truly uplift lives, strengthen communities, and secure the future development of the Philippines,” as stated by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his Veto Message.
So, as we align our understanding and interpretation of the Special and General Provisions of the FY 2025 GAA and the Veto Message of the President, let the voice of our people inspire us to improve our budget preparation and execution process, upholding the trust vested upon us by our citizens.
Toward this end, we’ve been doing a lot of digitalization efforts here in DBM. First, of course, to enhance efficiency, reduce delays, and eliminate corruption, we have Project TINA, or the Technical Innovations for the National Expenditure Program (NEP) Application. This will automate and make our systems interoperable on budget and management processes.
Last October, we launched the Public Financial Management (PFM) Reforms Roadmap 2024-2028 together with the Asian Development Bank—the country’s comprehensive blueprint for modernizing and harmonizing our PFM systems.
We also launched last year our Budget and Treasury Management System (BTMS). This is an online system where you can see real-time budget obligations and disbursements per agency.
Alongside this, we will soon launch our Project Bumblebee. This e-portal will allow the integration of all digital payments and disbursements among government agencies under one system, establishing a real-time payment and settlement system for government transactions.
In line with this, we will also continue our Public Financial Management Competency Program (PFMCP) to equip our PFM practitioners with the necessary knowledge and skills to manage their authorized resources effectively and efficiently.
Moreover, the passage into law of the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA) or Republic Act No. 12009 will also significantly enhance our budget utilization. As you may know, we have already approved its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) last February.
And so, again, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my deepest gratitude to the Legal Service team for their dedication in crafting both the NGPA and the IRR. They were able to finish it right on time. Napakahaba po ng NGPA, pero natapos po nila ‘yan.
Thank you for being the legal brains behind this law which streamlines and modernizes the procurement process, ensuring greater efficiency and transparency, and ultimately improving the delivery of quality public services to the Filipino people.
Our governance reforms, which aim to address the perennial challenge of underspending, are also our way of fulfilling our commitment to open governance.
As you all know, just last month, we hosted the Open Government Partnership Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting, attended by over a thousand participants from the entire region who actively exchanged best practices and developed innovative solutions to make governments more transparent, accountable, and participatory around the world.
In that summit, almost every room conducting a side event, breakout session, or plenary discussion echoed a clear message. And let me reiterate that message in today’s session: raise ambitions for our people, forge genuine collaborations, and ensure that our commitments make a real difference in the lives of our citizens.
Hence, let us work together towards a Bagong Pilipinas—a nation where government resources are utilized efficiently, effectively, and legally, within the bounds of the law, and where no Filipino is left behind, all in pursuit of our Agenda for Prosperity.
With that, let us get to work and make this the most productive and impactful Legal Service Forum yet.
Maraming salamat po! Mabuhay po tayong lahat!
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