A University of the Philippines academic and former government technocrat will take over as the country’s new budget secretary after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. chose Kim Robert de Leon to lead the Department of Budget and Management, Malacañang announced Monday.
Palace press officer Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed the appointment, with De Leon scheduled to take his oath of office on Tuesday, May 19. Castro identified him as the youngest person to serve in the Marcos Cabinet.
De Leon holds a magna cum laude degree from UP Diliman’s National College of Public Administration and Governance, where he earned his diploma in 2014 and later returned as an assistant professor. The Palace described his areas of expertise as fiscal management, organizational reform, and digital transformation — credentials built partly through stints as DBM undersecretary for Organization and Systems Improvement and ICT Groups, and as undersecretary for administration and finance at the Department of Transportation. He is said to be in his early 30s.
The DBM has operated without a confirmed secretary since November 2025, when Amenah Pangandaman — Marcos’ first budget chief — stepped down amid allegations linking her to a flood control corruption scandal that had implicated a broad range of government officials, including executive branch figures and Marcos allies.
Undersecretary Rolando Toledo has since been holding the post in an acting capacity. Toledo, who is set to be appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Government Service Insurance System, issued a statement expressing his support for the transition.
“As I transition from this role, I extend my wholehearted support to the new DBM Secretary and remain confident in the Department’s continued pursuit of sound, transparent, and people-centered governance,” Toledo said.
Toledo also acknowledged the presidential prerogative behind the change, saying he serves “at the pleasure of the President, and I fully respect the wisdom of his decisions.”
