The Philippine government and its development partners have reaffirmed their shared commitment to deliver tangible, people-centered results as the country enters the second half of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028 implementation, the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) said Monday.
The Philippine Development Forum (PDF) 2025, led by DEPDev, brought together government agencies, development partners and members of the diplomatic and business communities to align efforts, assess progress and chart a unified path forward. The forum serves as the government’s primary platform for policy dialogue and coordination with development partners.
“This forum is a resounding affirmation of our collective resolve to deliver services that matter and results that last,” said DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.
“We are committed to ensuring that our policies, programs, and investments remain responsive to the needs of Filipinos and are anchored on our long-term vision of a matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay for all,” he said.
Balisacan said that while the country’s economic fundamentals remain strong—with 5.4 percent growth recorded in the first half of 2025, among the highest in emerging Asia—this growth should translate into better public services, greater opportunities and sustainable improvements in communities.
The forum’s theme, “Bringing Together Progress for All: Services that Matter, Results that Last,” reflects the Marcos administration’s directive to align national priorities, strengthen partnerships, and ensure that every peso spent delivers real, measurable benefits to the Filipino people.
The forum highlighted the outputs of four sectoral working groups, which conducted months-long consultations to identify policy and financing priorities. Their recommendations focused on: enhancing human capital through improved health, education and social protection systems; modernizing agriculture and industries to generate quality jobs and boost competitiveness; building resilient and future-ready infrastructure to improve connectivity and sustainability; and advancing governance reforms.
The government also announced key reforms to improve implementation efficiency, including the revision of Investment Coordination Committee guidelines, the simplification of grant processing and the passage of landmark legislation such as the Public-Private Partnership Code, E-Governance Act, and the Accelerated and Reformed Right-of-Way Act.
“We will continue to strengthen our monitoring and evaluation systems to guide budget alignment and ensure that every intervention delivers value and impact,” Balisacan said.
The final outputs and commitments from the forum were endorsed by the PDF Steering Committee, through the DEPDev, to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., who earlier called for real progress that is not only reflected in statistics but also in the lived experiences of Filipinos.
“Development is a shared responsibility. With the continued support of our development partners, the private sector, civil society, and the media, we are confident that we can deliver on our promise of inclusive and sustainable development for all Filipinos,” said Balisacan.
