The government formally adopted a national action plan on Thursday, Jan. 22, to overhaul how it manages international aid and development programs, seeking to tighten oversight of billions of pesos in funding while ensuring projects align more closely with local economic priorities.

The Department of Economy Planning and Development (DEPDev) released the Philippine Action Plan for Effective Development Cooperation following a high-level summit this week.

The roadmap concludes the country’s participation in the Fourth Monitoring Round of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation, a multi-stakeholder platform established in 2011 to track the impact of global aid.

The move comes as the Marcos administration seeks to maximize the efficiency of official development assistance and private sector investments. By establishing a more rigorous framework, officials aim to move beyond simple fund-tracking toward a system that measures the long-term socio-economic results of development projects.

The forum, held Jan. 20, convened a broad coalition of national agencies, international development partners, civil society groups, and trade unions. Participants reviewed recent monitoring data to draft a set of time-bound reforms that DEPDev says will be integrated into existing government mandates and budgeting systems.

“The adoption of the Action Plan translates evidence and consultation outcomes into actionable reforms,” the department said in its report. The document consolidates findings from the 2025 monitoring cycle, focusing on improving data transparency and inclusive stakeholder engagement.

DEPDev Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the plan establishes a clearer division of labor between the public and private sectors.

Under the new framework, the government will provide strategic direction while development partners focus on financing and capacity-building that reinforces, rather than bypasses, Philippine national systems.

“At its core, the Action Plan reflects a shared understanding of roles,” Balisacan said.

He noted that while civil society and trade unions are tasked with ensuring accountability, the private sector is expected to provide the investment and innovation necessary to scale up development impact.

A central priority of the plan is the creation of a formal Development Cooperation Framework. This mechanism will link monitoring results directly to the national budget, ensuring that future projects are funded based on their demonstrated ability to meet the country's sustainable development goals.

The government plans to finalize the document for public release shortly, aiming to foster “shared ownership” among the various entities involved in the country’s development. Balisacan emphasized that the success of the initiative will depend on how effectively these agreed-upon actions are absorbed into the daily operations of state agencies.

As the Philippines prepares for future monitoring rounds, the administration views this action plan as a critical tool for maintaining donor trust and ensuring that every peso spent on development yields measurable improvements in public welfare. (Ricardo M. Austria)