THE Department of Budget and Management welcomed Secretary Kim Robert C. De Leon as the country’s new Budget Secretary following his appointment by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on 18 May 2026, as announced by Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro during the Malacañang press briefing earlier today.
“Kim Robert De Leon is the new Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), becoming the youngest member of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet. Secretary De Leon is expected to take his oath of office tomorrow,” Usec. Claire Castro said.
“Secretary De Leon is recognized for his work in fiscal management, organizational reform, and digital transformation. He graduated magna cum laude and valedictorian from UP NCPAG. He also topped the 2016 Environmental Planning Licensure Examination and holds master’s degrees in urban and regional planning and public safety administration, with academic honors. Additionally, Secretary De Leon obtained a Certificate in Business Process Management from the Queensland University of Technology in 2021,” Usec. Castro added.
The Palace briefer likewise announced that outgoing DBM Secretary Rolando U. Toledo will be appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), representing leading organizations or associations of government employees and retirees.
“DBM Acting Secretary Rolando ‘Rolly’ Toledo will be appointed to the Board of Trustees, representing the leading organizations or associations of government employees and retirees at the GSIS,” Usec. Castro said.
Secretary De Leon previously served as Undersecretary for the Organization and Systems Improvement Group and the Information and Communications Technology Group of the DBM under then Secretary Wendel E. Avisado.
Following his service at the DBM, he held key government positions, including Undersecretary for Administration and Finance of the Department of Transportation and Secretary General of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. He also obtained his Career Executive Service Eligibility in 2024.
Prior to his appointment as Budget Secretary, he served as an Assistant Professor at the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP NCPAG), where he taught courses on governmental accounting, auditing, local government administration, and regional administration.
Outgoing DBM Secretary Toledo expressed his full support for the new Budget Chief and for the institution he has served for nearly four decades.
“As I transition from this role, I extend my wholehearted support to the new DBM Secretary and remain confident in the Department’s continued pursuit of sound, transparent, and people-centered governance,” outgoing Secretary Toledo said.
Since his designation as Acting Secretary in December 2025, Toledo has led several key institutional initiatives, including the successful conduct of the FY 2027 Budget Preparation Forums, the finalization of the administration’s version of the Philippine Budgeting Code, and the rollout of the Usapang Budget Natin Town Hall Meetings—all aimed at accelerating reform, fostering unity, and strengthening public trust.
“Rest assured that my commitment to serve our country and the Filipino people, which I have upheld for more than 38 years in public service, remains unchanged. That commitment will continue wherever I may be called to serve,” Secretary Toledo added.
The Department expressed confidence that Secretary De Leon would further strengthen the DBM’s reform agenda by building on the gains of the institution while advancing meaningful innovations in fiscal governance, organizational excellence, and digital transformation.
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