The appointment of 32-year-old Kim Robert De Leon as the country’s new budget secretary has drawn support from lawmakers, who expressed optimism that younger leadership could drive long-awaited reforms in government budgeting, transparency, and fiscal management.
Deputy Speakers Paolo Ortega V and Jay Khonghun both welcomed De Leon’s appointment, describing it as an opportunity to modernize budget governance and strengthen public accountability at a crucial period for the country’s economy.
Ortega said De Leon’s experience in government, academe, and institutional reform work positions him to introduce meaningful improvements in the Department of Budget and Management.
“Ang DBM ang bantay-pinto ng pambansang pondo. Kapag malinaw, malinis, at madaling masuri ang budget process, mas lumalakas ang tiwala ng taumbayan sa gobyerno,” Ortega said.
He stressed that public demand has grown for tighter safeguards against questionable budget insertions, clearer monitoring of government spending, and more transparent disclosure of budget adjustments.
“The national budget must be more than a spending plan. It must be a public trust document, clear enough for citizens to scrutinize, disciplined enough to prevent abuse, and managed in a way that ensures every peso is spent prudently and reaches the people it is intended to serve,” he added.
Khonghun, meanwhile, said De Leon’s appointment injects “young blood and fresh outlook” into the Cabinet at a time when the government is preparing the proposed 2027 national budget amid economic pressures, including rising oil prices and slowing growth.
“We hope he brings to DBM fresh energy, vitality and ideas, which he will need in helping the President put together a national spending program that will address the ongoing oil crisis and economic slowdown, and provide assistance and relief to our suffering people,” Khonghun said.
Both lawmakers emphasized that while De Leon comes from the academe, he already has extensive government experience.
Before becoming budget secretary, De Leon served as DBM undersecretary from 2021 to 2022 and later held the same post at the Department of Transportation. He also worked in the Office of the President and taught at the University of the Philippines Diliman as an assistant professor.
Malacañang earlier described De Leon as the youngest member of the Marcos Cabinet and the youngest budget secretary in Philippine history.
A magna cum laude graduate and valedictorian from the University of the Philippines, De Leon also topped the 2016 Environmental Planning Licensure Examination and later completed graduate studies in urban and regional planning.
He also earned a certificate in business process management from Queensland University of Technology in Australia.
Lawmakers said they expect the new DBM chief to push reforms focused on digital tracking of allocations, tighter standards for fund releases, evidence-based budgeting, and stronger accountability measures.
“Youth in leadership must translate into speed, innovation, and courage to fix weak systems,” Ortega said.
He added that Congress is prepared to work closely with the DBM in advancing reforms aimed at ensuring that government spending remains transparent, disciplined, and responsive to the needs of ordinary Filipinos.