Recto confident in DOF team to fulfill noble mission, instills empathy in public service to genuinely meet the needs of Filipinos

Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto has expressed confidence in the capability of the Department of Finance (DOF) team to fulfill the agency’s noble mission of delivering an economy that benefits every Filipino, while underscoring that empathy should be at the core of public service to genuinely meet the needs of the people.

“I have the privilege of leading an extraordinary team in the DOF. I am surrounded by people whose credentials are even much much better than mine. Kung talino lang ang pag-uusapan, sobra-sobra ang galing at talino ng mga taga-DOF. Pero, puso is what I want to instill here,” he said in his speech at the kick-off ceremony of the DOF’s 127th Anniversary celebration.

“By empathy, I mean that we should not allow the DOF to become a fortress, disconnected from the realities outside, where theoretical exercises overshadow the true challenges on the ground,” he added.

Secretary Recto reminded the DOF community to carry the virtue of empathy in their daily tasks, immersing themselves in grassroots realities to develop policies and deliver services that genuinely meet the needs of the Filipino people.

The DOF will be celebrating its 127th anniversary of serving the Filipino people as the country’s steward of sound fiscal policy on April 24, 2024.

Founded in 1897, the DOF predates the establishment of the Republic of the Philippines and was primarily tasked to finance the revolution, education, and health through progressive taxation.

Now, the DOF leads in formulating fiscal and economic policies that ensure funding of critical government programs that promote welfare among the Filipino people and accelerate inclusive economic growth.

“For 127 years, the DOF has been funding our nation’s dreams and providing solutions to the challenges that you, yourselves, encounter every day,” Secretary Recto said.

The Finance Chief invited the DOF staff to take stock of their surroundings, citing their critical role in every infrastructure project, classroom, and hospital facility built by the government.

“For instance, when you witness the birth of new public infrastructure projects—roads, bridges, and trains—that is the fruit of our labor in revenue collection and fiscal