The Philippines Is the 'Most Transparent' in Budget Reporting Across Asia, Says Report

The Philippines is, apparently, the most transparent among all Asian countries in disclosing where public funds go. For some, this could be seen as a "surprise" improvement, given controversies hounding the government on the use of appropriations. But according to global nonprofit organization International Budget Partnership (IBP), the country went up by seven notches, becoming first place across the region. It ranked 15th out of 125 nations globally.

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The Philippines scored 75 out of 100 in transparency in 2023, up from 68 in 2021. This is higher than the government-set target of 71, as well as the global average of 45. A transparency score of 61 and above means the country may be doing enough to keep the public informed about its funds. The report attributed the Philippines’ high ranking to the availability of more budget information, with the timely publishing of its midyear reviews online. It suggests that this should be improved to include spending estimates, and eventually be institutionalized.

The Philippines also garnered 83 points in budget oversight, with “adequate” efforts from both the legislature and auditors to oversee the budget process. This score led to the country ranking sixth worldwide. 

But while the government may be updating Filipinos about the use of its budget, it doesn’t mean they actually get to be involved. The report pointed out that there were limited opportunities for people to engage in “meaningful participation in the different stages of the budget process,” with the Philippines scoring only 33 out of 100 in public participation. The IBP recommends that the country prioritize the creation of mechanisms for civil society organizations or any individual seeking to participate in formulating and implementing the budget, including allowing them to testify during audit report hearings.

“The [Department of Budget and Management] will continue its best practices in ensuring a transparent, participatory, and accountable people’s budget,” Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said in a statement.

The report, or the Open Budget Survey conducted by IBP, is said to be the only independent and comparative research globally that assesses how countries promote transparency and oversight, as well as participation, on the reporting and use of public funds.