BIZ BUZZ: DBM young blood cheered

Local government leaders rolled out the welcome mat for the young blood at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

A day after the oath-taking of Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon—who, at just 32, makes history as the youngest DBM chief —the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (Ulap) was quick to express eagerness for a fresh partnership on the fiscal table.

“Secretary de Leon’s appointment brings a fresh perspective to the Cabinet at an important time for the country’s fiscal and development agenda,” Ulap president and Quirino Governor Dax Cua said.

De Leon couldn’t have come at a more critical time as the DBM is currently piecing together the multitrillion-peso 2027 national budget while still grappling with the fallout from last year’s massive flood control corruption scandal.

Ulap recognized De Leon’s mix of rigorous academic background and front-line bureaucratic mileage from his previous stints at the DBM and the Department of Transportation.

Separately, De Leon vowed to restore public trust in government spending.