In Profile: Philippines Secretary of Finance, Cesar V. Purisima

Secretary Cesar V. Purisima of the Department of Finance (DOF) chairs the Cabinet Economic Clusters. The DOF is the lead Philippine government agency for the PFG. Previously, he served as Philippine Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry in 2004. He also served as Chair and Member of the Board of many government companies including National Power Corporation, Land Bank of the Philippines, and Monetary Board of the Philippine Central Bank. 

Cesar V. Purisima, Secretary, Philippine Department of Finance

He has extensive work experience in public accounting in the Philippines and abroad. He was Chairman and Managing Partner of SGV & Co. until January 2004. He also has various memberships in several business organizations including the Management Association of the Philippines, Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Philippine-France Business Council, Philippine-Thailand Business Council and the Makati Business Club, among others.

PFG Technical Working Groups and Outreach Team Convene

The Fiscal Management Technical Working Group (TWG), co-chaired by the Philippine Department of Finance and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, met on June 21 to discuss ongoing and planned programs. The Regulatory Quality TWG, co-chaired by the Department of Trade and Industry and USAID, and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption TWG, co-chaired by the Philippine Department of Justice and USAID, also convened respectively on July 5. The Partnership For Growth Outreach Team, co-chaired by the Investor Relations Office of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section, met on July 12 and focused on developing PFG local messaging, structuring the local communications strategy and forming a permanent team.

U.S. Treasury Assistance for Centralized Payroll

U.S. Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technical Assistance Larry McDonald visited the Philippines on July 10-11 to help launch the budget advisor's engagement and explore other possible Treasury technical assistance. The budget advisor will work for a two-year period with officials and staff of the Philippine Department of Finance and the Department of Budget and Management on implementation of the National Payroll System. The initiative will support development of a government-wide payroll and personnel management system to standardize processes and disburse salaries directly from the Treasury to employee accounts. The system will facilitate improved budget execution through enhanced cash forecasting and cost reductions in payroll administration.  Additionally, intermittent advisors are available to assist the Philippine government in the areas of purchase cards and rationalization of pensions, with a two-week assistance mission on pensions completed in August. Treasury's technical assistance supports Partnership for Growth efforts to improve expenditure management.