Finance Secretary Ralph Recto has directed newly appointed local treasurers to act as the nation’s “first line of defense” in fiscal governance to ensure local budgets are executed properly, the Department of Finance (DOF) said in a statement on Tuesday.
Recto stated the order in his message during the ceremonial oath-taking of 195 new local treasurers and assistant treasurers for Visayas and Mindanao on September 8, 2025.
“As our first line of defense of fiscal governance at the local level, we are counting on you not only to guard and manage our resources well. But to ensure the faithful execution of our local budgets,” he said in his message.
Recto called on the treasurers to combat corruption and uphold the highest standards of transparency and integrity, stressing the need for such vigilance “especially during a time when the clamor for transparency, integrity, and good governance has never been louder.”
“Every hard-earned taxpayer’s money is under scrutiny––as it should be. And we need allies on the ground to keep a vigilant watch on the Filipino people’s money,” he stressed.
Pointing out that “taxes represent the sweat of farmers, the income of workers, and the dreams of parents for their families,” he called on the treasurers to guard the funds carefully, assuring them of the DOF’s support as they strive for efficiency and transparency. —The Malaya Business News Team, with Digital Editor Marlon Magtira
