CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Acting Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon underscored Central Luzon’s vital role in sustaining the country’s economic momentum during the 2026 Regional Economic Briefing (REB) at the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Regional Office III.
Calling Central Luzon one of the country’s strongest engines of economic growth, De Leon said government reforms and strategic public investments are expected to further accelerate jobs, attract investments, and improve the lives of Filipinos across the region.
“Region III has long been one of the country’s strongest engines of growth—a region where agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, trade, tourism, and innovation come together to drive the Philippine economy. Simply put, when Central Luzon grows, the Philippines grows with it,” he said before national and local government officials, business leaders, members of the academe, civil society organizations, and development partners.
The Regional Economic Briefing supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure that economic growth is not merely reflected in reports and statistics, but is genuinely felt in every region, province, city, municipality, and Filipino household.
The Budget Chief highlighted major infrastructure projects in Central Luzon, including the North-South Commuter Railway and MRT-7, which are expected to improve connectivity, facilitate the movement of people and goods, attract more investments, and generate quality employment opportunities. He also cited the continued expansion of the region’s economic zones as a key driver of inclusive and sustained growth.
According to Acting Secretary De Leon, the government’s economic agenda succeeds only when public resources are translated into tangible improvements in the everyday lives of Filipinos.
“Budgets are not simply numbers written in government documents. Budgets are promises translated into action,” he emphasized.
Anchored on this principle, the DBM continues to pursue reforms aimed at making government more efficient, transparent, and responsive.
Among these is the implementation of the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA), which modernizes public procurement by promoting greater transparency, healthy competition, and better value for public funds.
Acting Secretary De Leon noted that the DBM’s digital procurement initiatives have already generated more than P1.099 billion in government savings, allowing more resources to be redirected toward programs and services that directly benefit the Filipino people.
He likewise highlighted the Government Optimization Program, which seeks to strengthen institutions, streamline processes, modernize government operations, and improve the delivery of public services.
“Government optimization is not about reducing people, but improving government. A faster government is a better government. And a better government is one that earns the trust of its people,” he said.
The Budget Chief also introduced DBM COMPASS—the country’s first digital platform that enables citizens to monitor how government funds are planned, allocated, and spent—making budget information more transparent and accessible to every Filipino.
“One question we often hear from our fellow Filipinos is: ‘Saan ba talaga napupunta ang buwis namin?’ Today, we can finally provide a clearer and more accessible answer,” Acting Secretary De Leon said.
He added that transparency should never be difficult to access nor limited only to experts, but should be open, understandable, and available to every Filipino.
Following the successful launch in Pampanga, the DBM is expected to hold succeeding Regional Economic Briefings in other parts of the country, with Bicol and Eastern Visayas among the regions tentatively scheduled to host the next legs of the series.
Expressing confidence in Central Luzon’s continued rise, Acting Secretary De Leon said the region has the potential not only to remain an economic powerhouse but also to become a national model of good governance.
“Region III has long been one of the country’s economic powerhouses. I have no doubt that together, we can also make it the benchmark for efficient, transparent, and people-centered governance,” he said.
Acting Secretary De Leon concluded by reminding participants that government success should ultimately be measured not by the amount it spends, but by the impact it creates in the lives of the people.
“Good governance is not measured by how much government spends, but by how much better people’s lives become.”
The event was graced by Pampanga Governor Lilia G. Pineda, DBM Undersecretary Goddes Hope Libiran, DBM Assistant Secretary Romy Balanquit, DBM Director Aries Macaspac, DBM Regional Director Rosalie Abesamis, and DepDev Regional Director Nerissa T. Esguerra, among others.
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