Select agencies and the region’s legislators convened for a crucial budget dialogue on February 18, 2025, at the Pamegafanan Hall, NEDA 2, Carig Sur in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. The RDC2-Regional Budget Review Committee (RBRC) organized the event to foster collaboration and transparency in the budgeting process for fiscal year (FY) 2026.

The dialogue, presided over by RDC2-RBRC Chair through DBM Acting Assistant Director Macario C. Gumabay, Jr., emphasized the importance of stakeholders’ contribution in driving regional development. Director Gumabay also stressed the need to communicate and develop a collaborative approach to ensure effective resource mobilization.

RDC2-RBRC Co-chair and NEDA 2 Regional Director Dionisio C. Ledres, Jr. urged the participants to prioritize “implementation-ready” projects and integrate into the existing programs to maximize efficiency and avoid duplication of efforts. He encouraged the region’s legislators to support the vetted list of RDC-endorsed projects proposed for funding.

The selected heads of agencies presented their respective FY 2026 budget proposals highlighting their thrusts on infrastructure development, agricultural support, environment, health and education. The dialogue provided a platform for an open communication and allowed legislators to directly engage with agencies on their budgetary needs based on their thrusts and priorities.

Among those present include technical staff from the offices of Honorable Ciriaco B. Gato, Jr., Baby Aline Vargas-Alfonso, Antonio T. Albano, Ed Christopher S. Go, Ian Paul L. Dy, Joseph S. Tan, Faustino Michael Carlos T. Dy III, and Faustino A. Dy V, the agency heads, technical, and administrative staff, among others. They expressed optimism that the collaborative discussions would translate into concrete support for the region’s development plans through budgetary allocation.

The budget proposals will be refined based on feedback received during the dialogue and will undergo further review and consultation by the RDC2-RBRC in March 2025. The ultimate goal is to contribute to a “𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘨, 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘸𝘢 𝘢𝘵 𝘗𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘨 𝘯𝘢 𝘉𝘶𝘩𝘢𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘴𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘵.”

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