Manila: Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Tuesday pledged to utilize all resources to position the Philippines as the leading nation globally for budget transparency and oversight. This announcement was made during the launch of several initiatives at the DBM’s central office in San Miguel, Manila.

According to Philippines News Agency, Pangandaman highlighted the Marcos administration’s achievements in promoting open governance, as the Philippines recently ranked first in Asia for budget transparency and sixth worldwide for budget oversight, based on the 2023 Open Budget Survey results. She emphasized the administration’s goal to attain the number one spot globally.

During the launch of the 2024 annual accomplishment report and related initiatives, Pangandaman, who serves as the chairperson of the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), showcased the government’s milestones and efforts to establish the Philippines as a leader in open governance. She noted that the administration has executed targeted initiatives to tackle key challenges in open government.

Pangandaman announced that the 6th PH-OGP National Action Plan, set to launch in 2024, aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement in governance. She stressed the DBM’s commitment to ensuring budget documents are accessible and open to public examination.

The DBM Secretary also highlighted the significance of Republic Act 12009 or the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA), signed last year, as a crucial step in modernizing procurement processes and addressing corruption. The NGPA introduces open contracting, allowing public access to procurement data and documents, and encourages public participation to ensure responsible use of government resources.

Pangandaman further mentioned the OGPinas! national advocacy campaign, which resulted in visits to nine regions and engagement with nearly 4,000 stakeholders, including OGP champions in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The event also featured the launch of the PH-OGP’s Annual Accomplishment Report for 2024, the OGP Legacy Book titled ‘Partners for Prosperity’, and an OGP Corner. These initiatives serve as a prelude to the upcoming OGP Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting (APRM) 2025, which the Philippines will host from February 5 to 7. An OGP Asia Pacific Mobile App was also introduced to assist participants in tracking event schedules for the regional summit.