Revised NEPF: Embracing a culture of evaluation
BEYOND BUDGET
Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
Our government, under the strong and visionary leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PBBM), continues to innovate and find ways to improve systems and processes, enhancing policies that will make public services targeted and more responsive.
Thus, I am glad to note that on April 14, 2025, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) with the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), formerly the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), led the ceremonial signing of the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) on the Revised National Evaluation Policy Framework (NEPF).
As I was signing the Circular, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in this accomplishment and of purpose since we are taking another leap towards a more open government that upholds and promotes evidence-based decision-making, transparency, accountability, and good governance.
During the signing of the FY 2025 General Appropriations Act, PBBM emphasized, “Cognizant that our resources are finite and our people’s needs are plenty, we need to carefully curate the particulars of the budget.”
Aligned with this, I believe that beyond planning and budgeting, evaluation of programs, activities, and projects is equally critical in ensuring that these positively impact our people. In this regard, the JMC on the Revised NEPF is a win for our nation.
You see, over the years, the DBM and DEPDev have implemented various reform initiatives and policy measures to enhance the integration of planning, budgeting, monitoring, and evaluation to promote results-oriented planning and governance.
From DBM's end, an important aspect of our budget cycle is the accountability phase, which includes audits, mid-year and year-end reports, performance reviews, and citizen engagement.
However, despite advancements, a critical gap persists: the lack of a policy mandating the systematic generation of evaluation evidence to determine whether government programs and projects achieve their intended outcomes and impacts. This gap underscores the need for a cohesive framework.
The NEPF, introduced through NEDA-DBM JMC No. 2015-01 on July 1, 2015, established an initial foundation for the systematic evaluation of government programs and projects. However, its implementation revealed gaps that must be addressed to better align the framework with evolving governance priorities and challenges.
Recognizing the need to align evaluation practices with current governance priorities and development goals, the Evaluation Task Force, composed of NEDA, DBM, and the Office of the President–Presidential Management Staff (OP-PMS), initiated a comprehensive review and update of the framework.
Specifically, the Revised NEPF aims to institutionalize the governance structure for public sector evaluations by defining roles, responsibilities, and coordination mechanisms among members of the NEPF Steering Committee, implementing agencies, and other stakeholders.
It likewise guides the formulation of the National Evaluation Agenda to identify priority government programs and projects for evaluation, ensuring alignment with national development priorities and decision-making processes.
Further, it mandates the development and submission of Agency-Based Evaluation Agendas to provide a structured approach for agencies in planning, conducting, and utilizing evaluations. This includes specifying submission timelines, oversight responsibilities, and mechanisms for monitoring and updating these agendas in line with the policy framework.
Meanwhile, detailed procedural requirements shall be developed and issued separately by the NEPF Steering Committee to allow flexibility and guarantee responsiveness to evolving governance needs.
Another improvement in the Revised NEPF is the reconstruction of the Evaluation Task Force into the NEPF Steering Committee for better coordination and oversight, ensuring that the National Evaluation Agenda and Agency-Based Evaluation Agendas align with the Philippine Development Plan and Public Investment Program, and focus on the use of high-quality, ethical, and transparent evaluation methods.
The JMC covers all departments, bureaus, offices, and agencies of the national government, including commissions, SUCs, GOCCs, GFIs, and other instrumentalities of the government that receive budgetary support from the national government, including those maintaining special accounts in the General Fund.
I agree with Secretary Balisacan when he emphasized that the Revised NEPF represents a significant governance reform, promoting “a whole-of-government approach to evaluation that supports better policy and budget decisions, drives continuous improvement, and fosters a culture of accountability and learning across agencies.”
On my part, I am glad that we now have the Revised NEPF, which incorporates internationally recognized principles so that our evaluations are relevant, coherent, effective, efficient, impactful, and sustainable.
Beyond budget, the Revised NEPF is more than just a policy document for us in the government. It manifests the PBBM administration’s strong resolve to institutionalize evaluation as a core governance component. In effect, we are embracing an evaluation culture, demonstrating the government's commitment to continuous improvement, accountability, adaptability, and good governance.
Through its institutionalization, we can ensure that every budget allocation and program implementation not only meaningfully contributes to our national development goals but, most importantly, fulfills the needs and aspirations of the Filipino people in our Bagong Pilipinas. Hence, I encourage everyone to support this endeavor.