President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has officially appointed University of the Philippines assistant professor and former government executive Kim Robert C. De Leon as the new Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
De Leon, a career bureaucrat and a top-notcher in the 2016 Environmental Planning Licensure Exam, returns to the agency he once served as undersecretary. His appointment marks the installation of a permanent head for the DBM following a period of leadership transition triggered by political controversy.
Background and Experience
De Leon brings a wealth of administrative experience to the post, having served in various key roles within the Marcos administration and the civil service:
- Department of Transportation (DOTr): Served as Undersecretary for Administration and Finance (2022–2024).
- Department of Budget and Management (DBM): Previously served as Undersecretary (2021–2022).
- Academia: Currently an assistant professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
- Civic Leadership: Served as Secretary General of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, where he led fiscal and digital reforms.
Transition in Leadership
De Leon succeeds Undersecretary Rolando U. Toledo, who had been serving as the agency’s acting chief since December 9, 2025. Toledo took the helm after the abrupt departure of former Secretary Amenah Pangandaman.
Pangandaman resigned in November 2025 citing delicadeza after her name was mentioned in a multibillion-peso “flood control fiasco.” The controversy involved allegations of unauthorized budget insertions, which Pangandaman has firmly denied.
The appointment of De Leon is seen as a move to stabilize the department as it prepares the national budget amid intensifying scrutiny over fiscal transparency.