BEYOND BUDGET *Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.* Last Monday, we celebrated the 125th anniversary of Philippine Independence. This is an appropriate time for Filipinos to remember our heroes, whose valiant acts have led to our national transformation and freedom. And as we reflect on...
BEYOND BUDGET *Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.* When I was given the honor to serve our country as budget secretary, I already knew my “why.” It was to make a positive difference and push for fiscal reforms through policies and action. Recently, I wrote about how an open...
BEYOND BUDGET *Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.* “A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.” — Mahatma Ghandi Each of us may be from different backgrounds and upbringings, but as Filipinos, we're tied together by a common history and environment,...
BEYOND BUDGET *Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.* “How does it feel to be the first Muslim budget secretary and the only Muslim in this administration’s Cabinet?” That's a question I get a lot. Consistently, I always answer that I feel very honored for being able to represent and...
BEYOND BUDGET *Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.* In my two decades as a public servant, I have come full circle to the budgeting process and public spending, and how they have a profound impact on the lives of the Filipino people. While I have always advocated for financial inclusion...
BEYOND BUDGET *Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.* Intense heat is really on in the country. Lately, we would hear parents reminding their children to always stay hydrated or indoors, while others choose to travel to cooler places! Indeed, climate change is an inescapable reality, as...
BEYOND BUDGET *Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.* The great inventor Thomas Edison said: “The value of an idea lies in the using of it.” In a fast-paced world, one has to quickly discern opportunities—act on them—in order to make innovation happen. Agility and innovation are...
BEYOND BUDGET *Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.* Last Friday April 21, which fittingly was Eid al-Fitr, I had the honor and privilege of delivering the keynote message at the mid-year commencement exercises of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). I am also grateful and...
BEYOND BUDGET *As-salamu alaykum!* Philosopher-novelist Ayn Rand once said, “Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.” One thing the pandemic-induced health crisis and economic slowdown had magnified, is that survival depends on how...
