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Advocates Philippines
Marcos Names Youngest Cabinet Member As New DBM Chief
Photo courtesy from UP NCPAG
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to welcome the youngest member of his Cabinet as Kim Robert de Leon prepares to take his oath as the new secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on May 19.
The announcement was made on Monday by Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro during a media briefing.
Once officially sworn in, de Leon will take over the leadership of the DBM from former Acting Budget Secretary Rolando Toledo, who has been reappointed as head of the Board of Trustees representing leading organizations and associations of government employees and retirees under the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
Malacañang described de Leon as a rising figure in public administration, particularly in the areas of fiscal management, organizational reform, and digital transformation.
De Leon graduated magna cum laude and valedictorian from the Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration program of the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance in 2014.
He also gained national recognition after topping the 2016 Environmental Planning Licensure Examination administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
Aside from his academic achievements, de Leon earned master’s degrees in urban and regional planning and public safety administration, both with academic honors. He also received Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards from the Boy Scouts of the Philippines in 2017, 2019, and 2021, respectively.
In 2021, he completed a certificate program in Business Process Management at the Queensland University of Technology through the Australia Awards Scholarship Program.
As incoming Budget Secretary, de Leon is expected to oversee the implementation and management of the 2026 national budget, including funding allocations tied to the administration’s major programs and priorities.
The announcement was made on Monday by Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro during a media briefing.
Once officially sworn in, de Leon will take over the leadership of the DBM from former Acting Budget Secretary Rolando Toledo, who has been reappointed as head of the Board of Trustees representing leading organizations and associations of government employees and retirees under the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
Malacañang described de Leon as a rising figure in public administration, particularly in the areas of fiscal management, organizational reform, and digital transformation.
De Leon graduated magna cum laude and valedictorian from the Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration program of the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance in 2014.
He also gained national recognition after topping the 2016 Environmental Planning Licensure Examination administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
Aside from his academic achievements, de Leon earned master’s degrees in urban and regional planning and public safety administration, both with academic honors. He also received Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards from the Boy Scouts of the Philippines in 2017, 2019, and 2021, respectively.
In 2021, he completed a certificate program in Business Process Management at the Queensland University of Technology through the Australia Awards Scholarship Program.
As incoming Budget Secretary, de Leon is expected to oversee the implementation and management of the 2026 national budget, including funding allocations tied to the administration’s major programs and priorities.
May 18, 2026
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