Public funds will serve its purpose under the new roadmap the government has put in place, President Marcos said.

In receiving the Public Financial Management (PFM) Reforms Roadmap 2024-2028, Marcos has assured the public through the roadmap, public funds will be used to expand social services, improve healthcare access, and ensure efficient disaster response.

"With this roadmap, we give a clear mandate of ensuring that the money entrusted to us by the people serves a purpose that truly matters, that will make a difference," Marcos said in his speech during the ceremonial endorsement of the roadmap on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

"It is about swift, efficient disaster relief and response actions so that no community is left behind when disasters strike. It is about better public healthcare access, ensuring that medical costs do not become yet another burden for our citizens," he added.

"It is about expanding social services, creating not just a safety net, but opportunities for every Filipino to succeed, no matter what their circumstances may be," Marcos further said.

According to the President, under the new roadmap, the government is committed to synchronize planning and budgeting at the local, regional, and national levels, as well as streamlining institutional frameworks to reduce the time spent on bureaucratic processes.

He said that for cash management policies and processes, the Monthly Disbursement Program schedule will be revisited, and the payment systems for public expenditures will be modernized.

"There will be assessment of non-compliant agencies with the preparation of asset management plans; we will also conduct measures to address their issues," he said, adding that capacity building programs for lagging agencies will also be implemented.

The new roadmap, he noted, provides a "common language between all of the agencies."

Meanwhile, under accounting and auditing, the government will standardize internal audit guidance by consolidating existing manuals and standards across agencies, Marcos said.

"As part of the Capacity Development focus, we will work towards the creation of a PFM institute with expert practitioners and dynamic training courses for all of those who are working within the system," he added.

The Chief Executive further said that under the digital PFM, the government will implement and map data systems for the Budget and Treasury Management System, revisit the Unified Accounts Code Structure, and create a policy framework for PFM data sharing.

Marcos stressed that "this roadmap is not just about figures and systems, and structures, and plans, and charts. It is about embracing innovation and using that to our advantage in order to provide more efficient and more streamlined services to the public."