Taguig City: Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Thursday urged local government units (LGUs) to embrace open governance and join the Open Government Partnership (OGP). Speaking at the 2025 OGP Asia and Pacific Regional Meeting Opening Plenary in Taguig City, Pangandaman reiterated the Philippines' commitment to the OGP principles of transparency, accountability, and civil society participation.

According to Philippines News Agency, Pangandaman emphasized the leadership role of the DBM in promoting open governance. As the OGP-Philippines chairperson, she encouraged her fellow Cabinet members to fully embrace and commit to the principles of open government. She also highlighted the potential benefits for over 1,000 municipalities that are not yet part of the OGP, noting that only five municipalities have joined so far.

Pangandaman expressed her happiness at the presence of the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, who will assist in encouraging more LGUs to become part of the OGP family. Tagbilaran City in Bohol, Larena town in Siquijor, Quezon City, and Baguio City became members in 2024, joining South Cotabato and Borongan, Samar, which joined in 2018 and 2020, respectively.

The DBM Secretary also expressed hope that OGP principles will soon be integrated into the national budgeting process. She mentioned the transition stage of convergence budgeting and the possibility of tagging programs and projects as part of the OGP commitments in future budget cycles.

Additionally, Pangandaman called on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to join the OGP community, noting the attendance of the entire Monetary Board and the BSP Governor at the event. She suggested that the central bank could also become part of the OGP conversation.

The Philippines is hosting the 2025 OGP Asia and Pacific Regional Meeting, bringing together over 800 government representatives and civil society leaders from across the region. As one of the eight founding countries of the OGP, alongside Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Norway, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States, the Philippines continues to play a significant role in promoting open governance.