DBM presents PBBM admin’s transformative reforms, policies at 2024 Spring Meetings with IMF, World Bank 

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) presented the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos’ priorities, transformational reforms, and policies to support the country’s socioeconomic growth at the recently concluded 2024 Spring Meetings in the United States.
 
Last April 15 to 20, the 2024 Spring Meetings were held in Washington, D.C., bringing together the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank Group (WBG), and various stakeholders.
 
The DBM was represented by Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, the first Muslim Budget Secretary and the only woman member of the Philippine economic team, joined by DBM Principal Economist Dr. Joselito R. Basilio.
 
Among the topics highlighted at the series of meetings were the enhancement of the Philippine Public Financial Management (PFM), reinforcement of climate and gender budget tagging initiatives, and the possible creation of the Office of the Accountant General.

“The rapidly changing world, marked by challenges such as climate change, health crises, and economic instability, underscores the critical need for multilateral cooperation. The Spring Meetings provided us with a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and forge partnerships that will enable us to tackle the pressing issues of our time,” said Sec. Pangandaman.
 
On 17 April 2024, Sec. Pangandaman convened with the representatives of the World Bank – Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) Secretariat, led by the PMF Global Unit of World Bank Practice Manager Serdar Yilmaz.
 
During the exchange, the Budget Secretary outlined the Philippines’ efforts to augmenting public financial management based on the 2016 PEFA Assessment. This includes the development of the Philippine PFM Reforms Roadmap 2024–2028 to standardize PFM regulations and digitize procedures across government agencies. Also highlighted was the plan to establish a PFM institute that will provide training for budget and procurement practitioners at both local and national levels.
 
In response, PEFA, through Secretariat Head Srinivas Gurazada, Senior Governance Specialist Dmitri Gourfinkel, and Senior Governance Specialist Antonio Leonardo Basco, gave an overview of their program and offered to assist the DBM and the Philippine government in improving budget frameworks, especially regarding gender-responsive budgeting and climate change.
 
For the Philippine Dialogue of the Spring Meetings, the macroeconomic landscape of the Philippines, regulations, and other reforms meant to boost business conditions in the country were tackled.
 
Secretary Pangandaman commits to bolstering the ongoing development initiatives of the current administration through government-led programs and ensuring adequate budget allocation to meet the needs of the Filipino people.
 
Meanwhile, on 18 April 2024, the Budget Secretary and DBM Principal Economist Dr. Basilio had an engagement with the IMF Gender Strategy Team, headed by the Strategy Policy and Review Department Deputy Director and Senior Advisor on Gender Rishi Goyal.
 
After explaining the state of the Philippines in terms of gender equality and the efforts of the national government to integrate gender equality into mainstream practices to minimize disparities and foster women’s empowerment and involvement in nation-building, Sec. Pangandaman emphasized the significance of gender tagging as a strategy to stimulate sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
 
On 19 April 2024, a side meeting was held with the World Bank, led by the Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand Ndiamé Diop, along with PFM Global Unit Practice Manager Serdar Yilmaz, which further focused on gender and climate adaptation budget tagging.
 
The importance of robust systems, capacity building, and evaluation mechanisms to effectively address gender disparities and ensure the efficient use of budget allocations was underscored.
 
The World Bank likewise discussed with DBM the good practices of creating an Accountant General’s Office (AGO) and i
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Pangandaman to DOH: Let’s address bottlenecks to fast-track disbursement of health workers’ benefits and allowances

Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Mina F. Pangandaman encouraged the Department of Health (DOH) to address bottlenecks to fast-track the disbursement of the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances (PHEBA) of healthcare workers amounting to a total of P91.283 billion.

“Ang good news po natin, ang National Government po, sa kabuuan, nakapag-palabas na po ng P91.283 billion po para sa ating mga health emergency allowance, benefits and compensation. Ito po ay nagsimula noong 2021, noong nagkaroon po tayo ng pandemic, tapos last year po, ‘yung budget po natin ngayong 2024, nakapaglaan din po tayo ng P19 billion para dito,” Secretary Pangandaman said.

To note, the released fund for PHEBA included some P73.26 billion for Health Emergency Allowance (HEA)/One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA), P12.90 billion for Special Risk Allowance (SRA), P3.65 billion for COVID-19 Sickness and Death Compensation, and
P1.47 billion for other benefits, such as meal, accommodation, and transportation allowance.

Sec. Pangandaman also underscored that the government does not withhold the release of the budget intended for healthcare workers’ benefits and allowances.

“Alam n’yo po, lalo na po ngayon sa administrasyon po ng Pangulong Bongbong Marcos, ang utos po sa akin, ilabas ang budget. Wala naman po tayong reason para i-hold ‘yung budget dahil gusto po natin makarating ‘yan nang mas mabilis sa mga kababayan natin. So, day 1 po, day 1 ng taon, ni-release ko na ang pondo sa mga Departments,” Secretary Pangandaman pointed out.

The Budget Secretary also reiterated her request for DOH to finalize its HEA mapping.

“Meron po tayong tinatawag na HEA mapping po sana. Para sana makita po natin ‘yung mga nabigyan at saka ‘di nabigyan, para mas madali po makita doon kung ano po ang magiging balanse natin,” Secretary Pangandaman said.

Meanwhile, she assured that in case the DOH’s budget becomes insufficient to cover all unpaid HEA claims, the DBM shall help in securing fund sources, such as the use of unprogrammed appropriations under the 2024 national budget, which will be triggered for release upon the generation of additional revenues, and the allocation of needed funds for the same purpose in the proposed 2025 national budget.

“Pinapangako po namin, dahil utos po ito ng ating Pangulo, na kung sakaling magkulang po, may source po tayo, ‘yung unprogrammed (appropriations). Kung magkulang din po ‘yan, anyway po, we’re doing the 2025 budget preparations now. If we get the exact amount po, hopefully po mailagay po namin lahat sa NEP po—National Expenditure Program—the President’s Budget for 2025,” the Secretary Pangandaman emphasized.

-30-Nakiisa si Department of Budget and Management Assistant Secretary Rolando Toledo at ang DBM Regional Office III

, sa pangunguna ni Director Rosalie Abesamis, sa inter-agency signing ng DILG-DHSUD-NEDA-DBM-DOF Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 1, s. 2024 on Public Financial Management (PFM) noong ika-3 ng Abril 2024 sa Quezon City.

Si Asec. Toledo ang nagsilbing kinatawan nina DBM Secretary Mina F. Pangandaman at Undersecretary Wilford Will Wong sa nasabing aktibidad na simbolo ng pagkakaisa ng iba’t ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan para palakasin ang financial governance sa buong bansa.

Sa kanyang pahayag, binigyang-diin ni Asec. Toledo ang matagumpay na implementasyon ng mga capacity-building initiatives ng DBM, tulad ng PFM Competency Program (PFMCP).

Kabilang sa mga layunin ng JMC ang synchronization ng national at local planning and budgeting calendars, harmonization ng PFM processes with land use planning, at pagpapaigting ng barangay development planning.

Dumalo rin sa mula sa DBM-RO3 sila Assistant Regional Director Gracela A. Ortiz, Adoracion Q. Mangalino,

Photo courtesy: DBM-RO3