The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has laid out several important strategic priorities to address existing gaps on open and inclusive governance.

At the Pilipinas Conference 2022 on Monday, Nov. 21, Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, said the government needs to leverage digital interventions, as well as the Open Government and Digitalization Efforts.

“Our country needs to fully embrace and transition to digitalization, especially on government processes and business models. This is why at the Department of Budget and Management, digital transformation is at the core of our reform agenda,” Pangandaman said.

The DBM chief highlighted three strategic priorities to promote digital transformation. First is energizing citizen participation in governance, and second, investing on innovations to close the digital governance gap, and third, harnessing an agile government.

She likewise stressed the important role of the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP) towards energizing citizen participation.

"The DBM is in the process of establishing a CSO Desk to serve as the focal unit for all concerns related to public participation in the budget process, among others,” Pangandaman said.

“The DBM CSO Desk will be one of the avenues in providing capacity-building activities for CSOs to enable a more meaningful engagement. We target to roll this out by year-end," she added.

In investing on innovations, Pangandaman underscored that the government must make meaningful digital opportunities beyond just providing basic connectivity.

"By investing in digitalization, we connect Filipinos to more opportunities. That is why in our proposed FY 2023 budget, P12.47 billion will be provided for ICT and digitalization programs and projects of the government," Pangandaman said.

Lastly, to improve bureaucratic efficiency, she shared that the DBM advocates for digitalization throughout the Public Financial Management process.

She reiterated the DBM’s commitment to roll out the Budget and Treasury Management System (BTMS), a system that aims to promote better cash management, effective financial control, accountability, and oversight with financial management systems integration.

“Our main consideration across these strategic priorities is to leverage on digital transformation to achieve open, inclusive, and sustainable governance,” Pangandaman stated.

"To this end, we shall deliver effective and efficient public services; provide spaces to listen and to respond to the issues we face; and put the interest and welfare of the Filipino people at the center of its governance," she added.