Philippine Open Government Partnership

Participation and independent review are vital in strengthening accountability and transparency in the budgeting process.

During the Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2025 Results Forum hosted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) through the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), Mr. Kenneth Isaiah Ibasco Abante emphasized the importance of engaging academia, civil society organizations, Project NOAH, and the scientific community in reviewing and validating projects included in the national budget.

Held at the DBM Boncodin Hall, the forum gathered government and non-government stakeholders to discuss the Philippines’ performance in the International Budget Partnership (IBP) Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2025 — the world’s only independent and evidence-based assessment of budget transparency, public participation, and oversight.

Mr. Abante underscored that beyond compliance and document review, meaningful participation and evidence-based decision-making are essential in building public trust in government spending. He highlighted the need to create formal avenues where stakeholders can provide comments. “It is really significant to work with academic, civil society, Project Noah, and scientists who can cross-check many of the projects that eventually go into the national expenditure program." Ensuring that budget proposals are subjected to broader scrutiny and informed by expert insights.

His message reinforces that transparency becomes more effective when paired with active citizen participation and independent review, strengthening accountability mechanisms and helping ensure that public resources respond to the real needs of the Filipino people.

The 2025 Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP) Annual Report is now available!

The report highlights the Partnership’s milestones, reforms, and collaborative initiatives that advanced transparency, accountability, participatory governance, and citizen engagement in 2025. It also reflects the continued commitment of government and civil society partners in strengthening open government and sustaining meaningful reforms for the Filipino people.

As the PH-OGP moves forward in 2026 with renewed leadership and stronger multisectoral collaboration, the Partnership remains committed to building on shared accomplishments and deepening co-creation, dialogue, and innovation in governance. Together, let us continue advancing a more open, inclusive, and people-centered Bagong Pilipinas.

Access the full report here: https://ogp.dbm.gov.ph/index.php/resources/reports/2025-ph-ogp-annual-report

During the forum on the Philippines’ Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2025 results held on 20 May 2026 at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Boncodin Hall, Dr. Romulo Emmanuel M. Miral, Deputy Secretary General of the House of Representatives of the Philippines (HOR), underscored the importance of looking beyond scores and focusing on the recommendations and reforms emerging from the Open Budget Survey (OBS).

As part of the moderated discussion with fellow resource speakers, Dr. Miral emphasized the need to institutionalize key budget reforms that can strengthen transparency, accountability, and public trust in governance. He noted that many of the OBS recommendations are timely and relevant, especially at a time when citizens continue to call for meaningful reform.

“We should be able to institutionalize yung mga reforms na yon and I would like to encourage everyone to push the budgeting code. I think that could be a legacy of this administration,” he shared, referring to the proposed Philippine Budgeting Code as a key legislative measure that can help address long-standing challenges in the country’s public budgeting system.

The dialogue highlighted the value of sustained collaboration among government, civil society, development partners, and other stakeholders in advancing open, participatory, and accountable governance in the Philippines.

During the forum on the Philippines’ Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2025 results held on 20 May 2026 at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Boncodin Hall, Assistant Secretary Romeo Matthew T. Balanquit delivered his final reflections on the importance of ensuring that transparency efforts translate into meaningful public engagement and tangible outcomes for citizens. The forum, organized by the Department of Budget and Management through the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), gathered representatives from government, civil society organizations, development partners, and other stakeholders to discuss the country’s performance in budget transparency, public participation, and oversight.

In his closing remarks during the panel discussion, Asec. Balanquit emphasized that while the Philippines continues to perform strongly in transparency indicators, the real challenge lies in making these gains felt and understood by the public. He underscored the importance of listening to citizens, expanding participation, and continuously improving governance through public feedback and collaboration.

“I think that’s something we really have to focus on — how we try to hear the people because we get really good inputs from the public. The Executive Branch cannot do this alone by simply setting the rules of the game. We have to expand our horizon by getting inputs from many people."

The discussion highlighted the continuing need for collaborative and citizen-centered governance, reinforcing the role of open government in ensuring that transparency efforts lead to greater accountability, trust, and meaningful public participation.

During the forum on the Philippines’ Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2025 results held on 20 May 2026 at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Boncodin Hall, Ms. Zy-za Nadine Suzara, Independent Researcher at the International Budget Partnership (IBP), presented the Philippines’ OBS 2025 results, highlighting the country’s gains, gaps, and opportunities for reform.

She also took part in a moderated discussion with fellow resource speakers on what the results mean for the Philippines and how these can inform ongoing efforts to strengthen transparency, participation, and accountability in public budgeting.

In her intervention, Ms. Suzara emphasized that the OBS should not simply be treated as a measure of compliance or a scorecard to focus on, but as a tool for continuous reform and collective action.

“So I think this conversation about what the OBS result means for us — where do we want to take it — should not be about compliance and being grade conscious about it. It has to be a continuing conversation to advance that budget reform agenda together. Civil society, government, the private sector, and the academe — we shape it all together,” she shared.

The dialogue served as a platform for government, civil society, development partners, and other stakeholders to reaffirm their shared commitment to advancing open, participatory, and accountable governance in the Philippines.

On May 20, 2026, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), through the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), hosted a forum at the DBM Boncodin Hall to present and discuss the Philippines’ results in the International Budget Partnership (IBP) Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2025.

Conducted by the International Budget Partnership, the OBS is recognized as the world’s only independent and evidence-based assessment of budget transparency, public participation, and budget oversight. The survey evaluates how governments provide public access to budget information, create opportunities for citizen engagement, and strengthen accountability mechanisms through legislative and audit oversight.

Serving as resource speaker, Mr. Yuna Farhan, Country Director for Indonesia at the IBP, set the context for the discussion by providing an overview of the OBS and its relevance to the Philippines’ ongoing open governance reforms. He emphasized that public budget accountability is anchored on three interconnected pillars—transparency, public participation, and oversight—which must function together to enable meaningful reform.

“The Open Budget Survey evaluates three interconnected pillars: budget transparency, public participation, and oversight. Together, these pillars form what we call the public budget accountability ecosystem, because transparency alone is not enough. Citizens also need opportunities to participate, and institutions need the capacity to hold government accountable,” he shared.

The session provided participants with a clearer understanding of the OBS as a tool for assessing and strengthening budget systems, while reinforcing the importance of sustained collaboration among government, civil society, and other stakeholders in advancing open governance reforms.

BUKAS NA!

𝘿𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙩 𝙋𝙬𝙚𝙙𝙚! 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟳𝟲 | 𝗨𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

Sa ika-76 na episode, makakasama natin si Ms. Kathleen Faye Nagales, Project Development Officer IV ng Philippine Open Government Partnership Project Management Office

Ipapaliwanag sa publiko ang kahalagahan ng Open Government Partnership, ang mga nagawa at plano ng Pilipinas bilang miyembro nito, at kung paano ang transparent na pamamahala ay nagpapalakas ng ating demokrasya at nagtataguyod ng makatarungan at inklusibong eleksyon.

Abangan sa Dapat PWEDE! May 29, 2026, (Biyernes) | 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM
Live sa pages ng:
702 DZAS - FEBC Radio
LENTE Philippines

Mapapakinggan din sa buong bansa sa 702 DZAS AM Radio!
dahil

𝘿𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙩 𝙋𝙬𝙚𝙙𝙚! 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝟳𝟲 | 𝗨𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

Noong Mayo 18-22, 2026, kasama ang Pilipinas sa pandaigdigang pagdiriwang ng Open Government Week (OGW) 2026. Isa itong taunang inisyatiba na naglalayong isulong ang transparency, accountability, innovation, at makabuluhang pakikilahok ng mamamayan sa pamamahala.

Sa ika-76 na episode, makakasama natin si Ms. Kathleen Faye Nagales, Project Development Officer IV ng Philippine-Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP) Project Management Office.

Ipapaliwanag sa publiko ang kahalagahan ng Open Government Partnership, ang mga nagawa at plano ng Pilipinas bilang miyembro nito, at kung paano ang transparent na pamamahala ay nagpapalakas ng ating demokrasya at nagtataguyod ng makatarungan at inklusibong eleksyon.

Abangan sa Dapat PWEDE! May 29, 2026, (Biyernes) | 8:00 AM to 8:30 AM

Live sa pages ng:
702 DZAS - FEBC Radio
LENTE Philippines

Mapapakinggan din sa buong bansa sa 702 DZAS AM Radio!
dahil

IN PHOTOS: Nitong Biyernes sa , ibinahagi natin ang matapang na mensahe ng bagong kalihim ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM) na si Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon sa isinagawang turnover ceremony sa DBM Central Office.

Ayon kay Acting Secretary De Leon, walang puwang ang kapabayaan at mga proyektong walang tunay na pakinabang para sa mamamayan sa ilalim ng kanyang pamumuno.

Bilang pinakabatang itinalagang Budget Secretary sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas sa edad na 32, tiniyak ni Acting Secretary De Leon na paiigtingin pa ng DBM ang pagtataguyod ng transparency, accountability, at mas mabilis na paghahatid ng serbisyo publiko.

Samantala, bilang bahagi ng pagdiriwang ng Open Government Week 2026 noong nakaraang linggo, ibinahagi ni Pearl Iris Clemente ng Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP) Project Management Office, ang layunin ng pandaigdigang selebrasyon na ginaganap tuwing ikatlong linggo ng Mayo.

Ayon sa kanya, ang ay isang pagkakataon upang pagtibayin ang ugnayan ng pamahalaan, civil society organizations (CSOs), at iba’t ibang sektor sa buong bansa upang higit na mailapit ang gobyerno sa mamamayan.

Balikan ang buong programa rito: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1KEpghGbFf/

𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: 𝐏𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐃𝐈𝐌𝐄) 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 ✊
PSLINK joined the 8th Steering Committee Meeting of the Digital Information for Monitoring & Evaluation (DIME) Initiative—an important step forward in advancing transparency, accountability, and data-driven governance in the Philippines.
Project DIME harnesses technologies such as satellites, drones, and geotagging to monitor the status and implementation of government infrastructure projects—ensuring that public funds are used effectively and responsibly. By strengthening real-time monitoring, DIME enhances the capacity of government agencies to deliver results that truly benefit the public.
The meeting brought together senior officials from key government agencies, including DPWH, DICT, DOST, DA, DepEd, DOH, DEPDev, DOTr, DENR, PhilSA, NAMRIA, UPNOAH, NIA, and BTr, to share updates on implementation, advance inter-agency data integration, and align on strategic directions moving forward.
For the first time, PSLINK, together with CODE-NGO and the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and the Pacific, participated as civil society representatives in the Steering Committee. This marks a significant milestone in ensuring that open government principles—transparency, accountability, and citizen participation—are embedded in the initiative.
DIME holds great potential as a powerful tool to improve efficiency in public sector programs and institutionalize evidence-based decision-making. PSLINK remains committed to pushing for its effective implementation—ensuring that technology serves the people and that every peso of public funds delivers real impact.

𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗜𝗜 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸
Cebu City, Philippines — In line with Malacañang Memorandum Circular No. 119, which mandates all government agencies to participate in the global observance of the Open Government Week (OGW) from May 18–22, 2026, PhilHealth Regional Office (PRO) VII joined the celebration with a week-long series of activities.
The initiative underscores PhilHealth’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement, aligning with the government’s thrust to bring services closer to the people.
PRO VII began the week with Ward Classes in hospitals conducted by PhilHealth Customer Assistance, Relations and Empowerment Staff (PCARES) deployed in select hospitals with high volume of patients. These week-long sessions provided patients and their families with clear, accessible information on their PhilHealth benefits, including coverage for inpatient, outpatient, and specialized packages. By bringing health insurance education directly to the bedside, PCARES ensured that patients were guided in availing their benefits.
The week’s activities also featured several engagements facilitated by PRO VII’s Health Care Delivery Management Division, such as orientation on Z Benefits (benefit packages for catastrophic cases) for personnel of a private hospital in Cebu City, followed by a virtual orientation on the Outpatient Emergency Care Benefit for another private hospital, and an orientation on PhilHealth programs and policies for a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). These sessions highlighted PhilHealth’s continuing efforts to strengthen stakeholder awareness and understanding of its benefit packages.
Complementing these were the media engagements organized by the PRO’s Public Affairs Unit in collaboration with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Region 7. Acting Regional Vice President Jenet Ann Advincula and Dr. Avril Tiu from the Benefits Administration Section participated in a media forum to discuss the Regional Office’s activities in line with the Open Government Week, and its recently enhanced maternity care benefits. The same day, Acting RVP Advincula and the Public Affairs Unit Head Dina Cinchez also guested at a local FM station to further promote OGW initiatives and PhilHealth benefit packages, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to transparency and public engagement.
A major highlight of the week was the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) sessions and an Open House Tour for senior high school students from the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu High School. These activities gave the youth firsthand exposure to PhilHealth’s processes, inspiring greater awareness and appreciation of the agency’s role in promoting open governance and accessible health care.
In addition, the Regional Monitoring Committee and Benefits Administration Section held a meeting with a public hospital in Cebu City, while a significant milestone was achieved through the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on the Group Enrollment Program, strengthening membership expansion and database credibility while ensuring coverage for Job Order personnel of the PSA in the region. This initiative underscores PhilHealth’s commitment to inclusivity by extending health insurance protection to more workers in government service.
Beyond the week’s special events, PhilHealth Local Health Insurance Offices (LHIOs) in Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, and its Satellite Office in Siquijor sustained their regular field activities, reaching more members and bringing services closer to those who live far from PhilHealth offices. Among these efforts were YAKAP Caravans that promoted primary preventive care, mobile services that delivered frontline assistance directly to communities, and IEC sessions designed to further boost awareness of members’ entitlements and the benefit packages covered by the agency.
By the weekend, the Regional Office’s Membership Section extended the observance of OGW to the community by holding a YAKAP Caravan in a subdivision for kasambahays. The activity not only catered to household workers but also accommodated transactions from residents, further demonstrating PhilHealth’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility.
Through these activities and ongoing initiatives, PRO VII reaffirmed its dedication to the principles of open government while reinforcing its commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, ensuring that stakeholders, partners, and the public are empowered with knowledge and that health insurance services remain within rea
PRO VII continues to extend its observance of Open Government Week from May 25 to 29, 2026, further strengthening service delivery to members and enhancing engagement with stakeholders through sustained activities

- 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 -