Philippine Economic Dialogue: Enhancing global partnerships

Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. I am thrilled to share that our country successfully concluded the first Philippine Economic Dialogue (PED) in Milan, Italy, on May 6, 2025, held on the sidelines of the 58th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank's (ADB's) Board of Governors.

- DBM SECRETARY AMENAH F. PANGANDAMAN

It was an honor and privilege to be part of this important event, with Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. It gathered over 100 potential investors, international stakeholders, and development partners to enhance our global partnerships and convey to the world that the Philippines is ready and open for business.

The Philippine Economic Team, composed of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), DEPDev, Department of Finance, Bureau of Treasury, and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the Department of Agriculture, among others, seized the opportunity to showcase game-changing reforms, policy directions, and initiatives to make our country an investment magnet.

On my part, I highlighted that under President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.'s (PBBM's) transformative leadership, our P6.326 trillion FY 2025 National Budget plays a pivotal role in sustaining economic growth and resilience. We are investing in key sectors, such as education, health, social protection, and infrastructure development. The P1.645 trillion allocated for the Build-Better-More program, which is 5.7 percent of GDP, will fund the construction of key infrastructure projects that promote physical connectivity and inclusive economic growth, including road networks [P624.8 billion), flood control systems (P350.5 billion), railways (P17.93 billion), airport systems (P7.70 billion), irrigation systems (P56.42 billion), school buildings (P37.09 billion), and hospitals and health centers (P19.43 billion).