Bringing the National Budget Closer to Filipinos: MBC Empowers Citizens Through Interactive Visualizer

06 March 2024 – Makati Business Club, in partnership with Layertech Software Labs and Bicol University, virtually launched the Philippine Budget Visualizer on March 6, 2025. The Philippine Budget Visualizer is an online tool that presents the national budget in a simple, visual format. It allows users to easily see how government funds are allocated and spent across different agencies and programs, making budget information more accessible to every Filipino.

A live demonstration of the Philippine Budget Visualizer was conducted by Layertech Software Labs’ Co-founder Frei Sangil. She demonstrated how the tool enables users to explore allocating public funds across government agencies. It also offers an interactive and stakeholder-driven platform with the following key features:

• A general overview of the national budget;
• Year-on-year comparisons to track budget change over time;
• Budget per agency and expense category; and
• A portal for relevant links and resources.

MBC Executive Director Rafael “Apa” Ongpin closed the virtual launch, by stating, “This tool is not just about numbers—it’s about empowering people to turn budget data into action, whether for advocacy, business decisions, or policy reforms. We hope it helps bridge the gap between data and action, promoting a culture of transparency across sectors.”

The event featured messages from the Secretaries of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). Both agencies expressed their strong support for the tool’s role in advancing accountable institutions in the country. 

“Let this initiative serve as a model toward a more accountable participatory government,” said Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy during the launch adding that “the budget visualizer exemplifies how technology empowers citizens, not just as recipients of information, but as active participants of governance.”

The Philippine Budget Visualizer can ultimately aid the decision-making of large-scale and small-scale businesses because the national budget is a good indicator of government spending. In addition, MBC and Public Data Analytics (PDA) plan to implement platform enhancements based on public feedback and usage statistics.

Building on DICT’s statement, Department of Budget and Management Assistant Secretary Leonido “Bodie” Pulido III shared that “the Philippine Budget Visualizer is part of a broader movement to advance freedom of information, open governance, and digitalization. All of these are key pillars of the Open Governance Partnership.” 

As this platform continues to grow and evolve, MBC invites everyone to explore the tool, use the data to inform discussions, and send feedback to help improve the platform over time. The Philippine Budget Visualizer is now live and can be accessed at: https://phbudget.shinyapps.io/PHBudget/