President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has institutionalized the Centralized Open Monitoring Platform for Appropriations and Spending Statistics (COMPASS) Portal to strengthen transparency and accountability in the use of government funds.
Marcos signed Executive Order No. 126 on September 28. Under the order, COMPASS will serve as a unified, publicly accessible digital platform where the public can monitor the national budget, government expenditures, procurement activities, and the implementation and performance of programs and projects throughout the budget cycle.
“The Portal shall promote transparency, accountability, and public participation by providing timely, reliable, and user-friendly access to government financial and performance information across the budget cycle,” the EO stated.
The platform may use distributed ledger technology, including blockchain and other emerging technologies, to help ensure the integrity, security, and reliability of government financial information.
COMPASS may also be integrated with existing government systems, including the Integrated Financial Management Information System, Budget and Treasury Management System, Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System, Digital Information for Monitoring and Evaluation, and the E-Gov PH App.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) launched COMPASS on June 26, 2026, as a searchable platform that consolidates budget and spending information, allowing users to track government expenditures by agency, funding purpose, and fiscal year.
Under EO 126, all concerned national government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations and government financial institutions, are required to submit and regularly update information on the portal as required by the DBM.
Local government units, meanwhile, are encouraged to use the platform.
Information to be disclosed through COMPASS may include the financial and implementation status of government programs and projects, procurement information, and other transparency-related data generated throughout the national budget cycle.
The coverage also extends to programs and projects funded through public-private partnerships and foreign-assisted programs, provided these involve public funds coursed through national government agencies or other relevant government mechanisms.
However, information prohibited from public disclosure under existing laws will remain excluded, including data that could compromise national defense and security or violate the Data Privacy Act.
The DBM will lead the implementation and management of COMPASS, with support from the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Department of Finance.
COMPASS Council
EO 126 also creates the COMPASS Council, which will oversee the implementation and continued improvement of the portal and monitor government agencies’ compliance with the order.
The council will formulate policies and data standards, establish disclosure timelines, promote coordination among agencies, and recommend emerging technologies to keep the platform secure, accessible, and responsive to public needs.
Failure by public officers or employees to comply with the order may constitute grounds for administrative and disciplinary sanctions under existing laws, rules, and regulations.
The council, in coordination with concerned government agencies and representatives from civil society, academe, media, and relevant industries, must issue implementing guidelines within 60 days from the effectivity of the executive order.
The institutionalization of COMPASS comes as Congress considers the proposed Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability (CADENA) Act, which seeks to strengthen public access to information on government spending.
