Manila: The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has praised President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for enacting Republic Act (RA) 12231, known as the Government Optimization Act. This legislation is designed to streamline the executive branch, enhancing the delivery of public services.
According to Philippines News Agency, DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman described the new law as a 'defining moment' in the government's efforts to create a more agile and responsive bureaucracy that benefits the Filipino people. She also acknowledged the leadership of both houses of Congress in ensuring the passage of this important legislation.
RA 12231 empowers the President to reorganize the executive branch by merging, strengthening, transferring, or abolishing redundant or overlapping agencies and functions. The act aims to improve public service delivery through structural reform while ensuring efficiency, transparency, and social protection.
Pangandaman noted that the law has been 'years in the making' and underscores the government's commitment to responsible fiscal management and meaningful governance. She emphasized that the reform is about increasing impact by streamlining systems to deliver government services to citizens more efficiently and with greater accountability.
The law mandates the establishment of a Committee on Optimizing the Executive Branch, co-chaired by the Executive Secretary and the DBM Secretary. The committee will also include representatives from the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, the Civil Service Commission, and the Anti-Red Tape Authority.
Pangandaman reassured government workers that their welfare remains a priority, emphasizing that the optimization efforts focus on better alignment, capacity-building, and maximizing contributions to nation-building, rather than displacement. She described the government's transformation as one that affects not only its structure but also its spirit.
The DBM expressed gratitude to all stakeholders, including members of Congress, reform advocates, and civil society, for their support of the measure.
