THE Philippines is strengthening its role in advancing child-responsive public finance in the region, bringing together eight South and Southeast Asian countries to exchange reforms and practical solutions aimed at ensuring that limited public resources deliver better outcomes for children.
Through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and with support from the European Union (EU) and United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), the Philippines hosted the South-South Exchange from Aug. 18 to 20, 2026, focusing on how governments can protect critical social investments and make public spending more efficient, transparent and resilient amid mounting economic, fiscal and climate challenges.
Held under the EU-Unicef Public Finance Facility in South and Southeast Asia, the three-day exchange gathered representatives from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam
The exchange comes at an important juncture for the Philippines as the country transitions toward upper-middle-income status, underscoring the need to translate economic gains into stronger institutions and more resilient social systems.
“This partnership helps ensure that economic progress is matched by stronger public finance systems so that every investment brings us closer to better, more equitable outcomes for children,” Unicef Philippines Representative Kyungsun Kim said.
“When we invest in a child, the return is measured not only in pesos or percentages, but in healthier lives, better opportunities, stronger communities, and ultimately, stronger nations. Here in the Philippines, this principle continues to guide how we strengthen our public financial management system. Our commitment to children is firmly anchored in their rights and welfare,” DBM Acting Secretary Kim Robert De Leon said.
Since its launch in 2019, the EU-Unicef Public Finance Facility has supported governments across the region in strengthening public financial management systems that benefit children.