By Brian Campued
Newly installed Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Kim Robert De Leon vowed to ensure zero tolerance against corruption and misuse of public funds as he officially took up the mantle of one of the government’s most crucial offices.
During a leadership turnover ceremony held at the DBM Central Office in Manila on Wednesday, De Leon declared that he “will not allow the budget to be abused again for another flood control scandal.”
“Klaro ang direktiba ng Pangulo—bawat piso, mapupunta sa tao. Hindi sa corruption. Hindi sa kapabayaan. Hindi sa mga proyektong walang pakinabang sa mamamayan,” the Budget chief said.
Stepping into the department that has been under close scrutiny since the issue of alleged budget insertions and anomalous flood control projects were flagged by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. himself last year, De Leon acknowledged public concerns over government spending.
He stressed that the DBM under his watch would move aggressively to ensure that every peso of the national budget would be spent wisely on programs that directly improve the lives of Filipinos.
He also vowed to restore public trust in government spending through faster delivery of public service, tighter accountability efforts, and reforms aligned with the administration’s governance and economic agenda under Bagong Pilipinas.
“Sa DBM, dito bawal ang mabagal. Sa DBM, dapat bawal ang maghintay. Ang serbisyo dapat mabilis. Sa DBM, dapat bayan ang makikinabang. Sa DBM, dapat bida ang mamamayan. Ang gobyerno dapat maramdaman. Ang budget dapat direktang nagpapagaan ng buhay ng ating mga kababayan,” he said.
The 32-year-old De Leon took his oath before President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in Malacañan Palace on Tuesday, officially becoming the youngest member of the Marcos Cabinet as well as the youngest Budget secretary in Philippine history.
becomes the youngest member of the Marcos Cabinet and the youngest Budget Secretary in Philippine history
During the ceremony, De Leon also hailed former DBM acting secretary Rolando Toledo for his decades of service and contributions to public finance.
Toledo, in turn, expressed confidence in De Leon, urging the new DBM chief to “continue what we have always stood for: transparency, accountability, and a government that truly belongs to its people.”
“Never forget the citizens. Make them part of the system,” he said.
Toledo, who had been acting DBM secretary since December 2025 after the resignation of Amenah Pangandaman, was appointed as a member of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Board of Trustees representing the Leading Associations of Government Employees/Retirees.
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