The Procurement Service–Department of Budget and Management (PS-DVBM) participated in the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) workshop on Emerging Macro-Fiscal and Governance Challenges and Opportunities in Southeast Asia, held from April 21 to 23, 2026, at the ADB Headquarters, Manila.
Organized by the ADB Public Sector Management and Governance Sector Office, the workshop highlighted good practices and identified development opportunities in the areas of climate and disaster resilience and civil service organizations (CSOs) in Southeast Asia, as well as the need to strengthen public financial management and public expenditure systems to better address broader governance challenges.
Operations Office Director Samantha Grace Moscoso, Atty. Kathleen Rose Taniñas, and Engr. Diane Arbitrario attended the second and third-day sessions, which focused on strengthening public financial management (PFM) systems across all levels of government, promoting accountability and good governance in response to emerging challenges, and exploring innovative mechanisms to enhance accountability and transparency through the contributions of CSOs across the Southeast Asia region.
Aligned with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.’s push for strengthened transparency, accountability, and tighter safeguards in budget utilization, the workshop also emphasized key strategic priorities such as improving inter-governmental fiscal arrangements and minimizing lapses in public procurement systems, among others.
Representing the Philippine public sector alongside PS-DBM were officials from the Department of Finance (DOF), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Bureau of Treasury (BTr), and Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG). Also in attendance were delegates from developing member countries of the Southeast Asia region, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. April 28, 2026/ LR