NEWLY-APPOINTED Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon has made a mark in the government’s history by becoming the second youngest Cabinet member — next to Francisco Tatad who was appointed as minister during the Marcos Sr. administration.
In appointing 32-year old de Leon to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cited the need for young bloods to infuse what is required in the digital age.
De Leon replaced Rolando Toledo, who served as acting Budget Secretary following the resignation of Amenah Pangandaman, is now a member of the board of trustees of the Government Service Insurance System.
“A career public servant, Secretary de Leon is recognized for his work and fiscal management,” said Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro.
De Leon graduated magna cum laude and class valedictorian in public administration in 2014 from the University of the Philippines. He later completed a master’s degree in urban and regional planning in 2019.
He also topped the 2016 Environmental Planning Licensure Examination and earned a certificate in business process management from Queensland University of Technology.
De Leon previously served as DBM undersecretary from September 2021 to July 2022, and held the same position at the Department of Transportation from July 2022 to January 2024. He was also an assistant professor at UP Diliman campus.
In a statement, Toledo extended his support to the new DBM chief and expressed confidence in the agency’s “continued pursuit of sound, transparent, and people-centered governance.”
“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,” he said.
He added that he is grateful for the opportunity to have led the DBM and trusts in what he described as “God’s greater purpose and perfect timing.”
Prior to being promoted as DBM chief, De Leon handled the agency’s Organization and Systems Improvement and Information and Communications Technology Groups.
The new DBM boss, who earned masters of Public Safety Administration from the Philippine Public Safety College, also served as Undersecretary for Administration and Finance in the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
In his paper entitled “Mainstreaming Disaster Risks in Planning Critical Facilities: The Case of Kaunlaran HS in Navotas City,” published in the Journal in Urban and Regional Planning of the UP School of Urban and Regional Planning, De Leon wrote:
“On a final note, it can be said that the legal foundations, policies and institutions are in place to promote both DRRM (disaster risk reduction and management) mainstreaming and collaboration in educational facilities, planning to produce a multi-hazard risk-sensitive and evidence-based educational sector policy and management.”
“However, despite the existence of as many institutionalized vehicles of collaboration, intergovernmental planning will only be possible, as McDonald (2005) puts it, “for as long as the intent for collaboration is genuine.”