Program Convergence Budgeting: Synergy not silos

Assalamualaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. I am glad to share that on March 6, 2025, we, at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), along with various government agencies, launched an initiative that synergizes efforts to make every centavo in our government coffers work harder and smarter — the ceremonial signing of the DBM-National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) that strengthens the Program Convergence Budgeting (PCB) approach in the budget process.

- DBM SECRETARY AMENAH F. PANGANDAMAN

I believe this is a turning point, where we are not only aligning our resources, but more importantly, our collective efforts to serve the Filipino people better.

The PCB approach

In 2012, the DBM pioneered the PCB approach, an innovative, whole-of-government method-ology that fosters collaboration among agencies in implementing programs and projects. It enables government agencies to work together, ensuring consistency in program targets, beneficiaries, focus areas, implementation time-lines, and resource requirements, guided by a unified Master Plan or roadmap. Ultimately, it strengthens government coordination to align initiatives that drive the country’s development goals more effec-tively. It also opens opportunities for partnerships with development groups and the private sector, our partners.

Over the past 12 years, we have successfully implemented several PCB projects, including the biggest inter-agency initiative on disaster response — the Risk Resiliency Program. Meanwhile, in 2023, we digitalized the submission of PCB proposals, aligned with the ad-ministration’s thrust to enhance bureaucratic efficiency.

Also in 2023, during the 14th Cabinet meeting, President Ferdi-nand R. Marcos, Jr. (PBBM) directed all departments and agencies to coordinate with the DBM for the rationalization of similar, overlap-ping, and redundant programs and projects.