DBM eyes fully digitalized budget releases by Q1 2023

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Wednesday it is targeting to go full digital in releasing budget documents by the first quarter of 2023.

In a statement, the DBM said the release of Special Allotment Release Order (SARO), Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA), and Notice of Organization, Staffing and Compensation Action (NOSCA) to various government agencies will be fully digital come next year.

Citing Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandman’s interview during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, the DBM said that among the Marcos administration’s top priorities is transform and digitalize government processes, records, and databases toward achieving bureaucratic efficiency and a sustainable economy.

“Noong Cabinet meeting po, sinabi po ni Presidente that he’s also pro-digitalization to reduce ‘yung cost of doing business, [promote] transparency, and accountability,” said Pangandaman.

(During the Cabinet meeting, the President said he’s also pro-digitalization to reduce the cost of doing business, promote transparency, and accountability.)

“So, noong lumabas po ‘yung second version [of the draft budget], most of the agencies po, we adopted ‘yung kanilang mga digitalization programs. We have provided more than P300 billion for the digitalization program of the different national government agencies,” added the Budget chief.

(So when the second version of the draft budget came out, most of the agencies adopted digitalization in their programs.)

The DBM said that it has started with its digital transformation initiatives as it recently signed a deal with three authorized government servicing banks for the implementation of the online release of Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA).

Through the digital initiative, the DBM said the agency will be able to save millions worth of expenses by reducing costs on security paper, printing, supplies, and transportation expenses for physical claiming of documents by agency representatives.

“In the NCA, if we start next year, we will save at least P33 million on the printing and the cost of paper,” said Pangandaman, noting that a “special paper” is being used in printing the budget document.

“So, we don’t have to print that [using special paper]. So, hopefully po, until first semester of next year, all of the releases of the DBM will be digital. No more hard copies,” said the Budget chief.

The online release of the NCAs will be carried out through the DBM’s Action Document Releasing System (ADRS), according to the agency.

The ADRS is a web-based application that facilitates the release of approved DBM action documents in digital format directly to the authorized users of recipient agencies.

The DBM said the agency is also investing in the cybersecurity part of the system.

“If there’s digitalization effort, the investment on cybersecurity will be huge. The investment requirement for digitalization is substantial, but I think at the end of the day po, the savings that we will incur from all the digitalization effort will be more advantageous for the national government,” said Pangandaman. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News