DBM signals readiness to cut MOOE to free up funds for infrastructure

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said it will review maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) items to free up fiscal space for infrastructure. "I would like to see how the MOOE items emerge. We have very limited fiscal space and if there is room for us to clear some MOOE items to give way for infrastructure," the DBM official said.

The move comes as the government seeks to prioritize capital outlays amid tight fiscal conditions. The DBM has been tasked with identifying savings from MOOE to redirect toward the administration's infrastructure program.

BusinessWorld reported that the DBM's review is part of broader efforts to manage public spending efficiently. The agency will assess which MOOE items can be reduced or deferred without affecting essential government services.