27 February 2025 – “Legislative and public support are crucial for us to achieve our goals in transparency, accountability, and citizen participation,” said Department of Budget and Management Acting Secretary Rolando Toledo, during Makati Business Club’s Business-Government Forum, held on February 24.

The forum discussed advancing transparency reforms to strengthen the Philippine business environment attended by over 120 MBC members and C-Suite executives. The conversation highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance budget transparency, streamline government procedures, reduce red tape, and strengthen digitalization to make public services more accessible and efficient for businesses and citizens.

Institutionalizing reforms emerged as a key theme during the discussion, with DBM Acting Secretary Rolando Toledo underscoring the importance of embedding transparency in law. “That’s why we are advocating for the passage of the Philippine Budgeting Code bill, which is part of the 20th Common Legislative Agenda of Congress.”

The conversation then turned to regulatory efficiency and the role of the private sector in sustaining reform momentum. Anti-Red Tape Authority Secretary Ernesto Perez emphasized the value of continued collaboration, noting, “We get things done if we get the private sector involved. We are in continuous collaboration with the private sector by way of ARTA champions, and Makati Business Club is one of our champions. For us to implement those reforms, we really need the private sector to work with us, help with us, as our partners.”
Grounding the discussion at the local level, Isabela City Mayor Sitti Turabin-Hataman pointed to the role of citizen engagement in strengthening accountability. She highlighted the city’s Good Governance Caravan, which focuses on “empowering people by teaching them what to look for, how to choose (the right people to lead them), and what to demand from the elected officials.”

The dialogue reinforced the importance of continued collaboration between government and business to ensure reforms are responsive to on-the-ground realities and aligned with the country’s long-term development goals. It emphasized that good governance and a strong economy are mutually reinforcing — with transparency, accountability, and effective institutions creating the foundation for sustainable economic growth, while a resilient and inclusive economy, in turn, strengthens public trust and institutional stability.
Messages of support were also shared by Ken Abante of the People’s Budget Coalition and Senator Win Gatchalian, who emphasized the need for continued collaboration and legislative backing to advance transparency and accountability initiatives.

The Business-Government Forum is part of MBC’s broader advocacy to promote constructive public-private engagement on socio-economic policy priorities. Over the past year, MBC has strengthened its engagement with the government through the Government Dialogue Series, meeting with high-level secretaries, commissioners, and LGU leaders to highlight private sector support for national economic policy efforts. This forum serves as the culmination of these initiatives, emphasizing transparency and multi-sector collaboration with the government to drive meaningful impact in uplifting Philippine businesses.

This high-level event was made possible with the support of SM Investments (Gold), Shopee (Bronze), Marubeni (Bronze), Tata Consultancy Services (Bronze), and Solarnrg (Event Supporter).

Learn more about MBC’s Work with Government: https://mbc.com.ph/working-with-the-government/government-dialogue/