BEYOND BUDGET
Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
Technology is often reduced to systems, devices, websites, and applications. But at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), during my time as secretary, technology came to mean something far more transformative. It became a powerful tool to bring government closer to the people—faster, fairer, more transparent, and more humane.
For many years, outdated and fragmented processes slowed the delivery of services that Filipinos depend on most. When budget releases took too long, children waited for school materials, farmers missed planting seasons, and families in disaster-stricken areas endured painful delays in assistance. These experiences made one truth unmistakable: Modernizing government is essential to improving lives.
At DBM, we embraced digitalization as a reform that serves the public good.
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