THE National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) signed a joint memorandum circular (JMC) that seeks to strength-en government evaluation practices, reaffirming the commitment to evi-dence-informed decision-making and good governance.
In a statement on Tuesday, NEDA said Secretary Arsenio Balisacan and DBM Secre-tary Amenah Pangandaman led the ceremonial signing of the circular on the Revised National Evaluation Policy Framework (NEPF) at the NEDA main office in Manda-luyong City on April 14.
The NEPF, established a decade ago, provides a systematic approach to evaluating gov-ernment programs and projects.
To align evaluation practices with current governance priorities and development goals, the Evaluation Task Force that includes NEDA, DBM, and the Office of the Pres-ident–Presidential Management Staff (OP-PMS) initiated a comprehensive review and update of the framework.
Key enhancements in the revised NEPF include: reorganizing the Evaluation Task Force into the NEPF Steering Committee to enhance coordination and oversight; in-stitutionalizing the National Evaluation Agenda and Agency-Based Evaluation Agen-das to ensure alignment with the Philippine Development Plan and public investment priorities; and placing strong emphasis on the use of high-quality, ethical and trans-parent evaluation methodologies.
Whole-of-government approach
Balisacan said the revised NEPF represents a significant governance reform, promot-ing “a whole-of-government approach to evaluation that supports better policy and budget deci-sions, drives continuous improvement, and fosters a culture of accounta-bility and learn-ing across agencies.”
The NEDA chief also highlighted that the signing of the joint circular reflects the Phil-ippine government’s strong resolve to institutionalize evaluation as a core compo-nent of govern-ance.
“(The) ceremonial signing marks a significant milestone in advancing evidence-informed policymaking. It forms part of a broader effort to strengthen accountability, enhance trans-parency, and improve the government’s capacity to generate actionable insights that ele-vate public service delivery,” Balisacan said.
He called for unity “in ensuring that this framework extends beyond mere paperwork and transforms into a living policy—actively implemented, monitored, and continu-ously im-proved.”
