Day: June 28, 2024

Digepres launches innovative Budget Simulator: it joins initiatives for social participation and transparency

The open-access tool was developed with the support and cooperation of the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic and aims to further foster civic interest in issues concerning central government spending. During a Citizen Forum, the General Directorate of Budget (DIGEPRES), as part of its strategic focus on Transparency and Social Control, and with the cooperation of the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, made the 2024 Budget Simulator available to the public. This open-access tool seeks to further foster civic interest in issues concerning central government spending in the Dominican Republic and to increase transparency and social control over the budget cycle. The tool, developed with technical cooperation from the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo in conjunction with the Budget Directorate, initially presents the fiscal scenario that led to the formulation of Law No. Section 80-23 of the 2024 General State Budget was presented, outlining total revenue projections by category, including taxes, donations, and other income, as well as the major sectors to which total spending is allocated, according to the functional classification, related to education, debt interest, social protection, health, general administration, and energy and fuels. The event was led by José Rijo Presbot, Director General of the Budget; Iván Ramírez, Deputy Director General of the Budget; Ariel Jahner, Economic Attaché at the U.S. Embassy; and representatives from various government institutions. In her welcoming remarks, Ariel Jahner praised the initiative of the General Directorate of the Budget (Digepres) and the commitment made by the United States to support the Dominican Republic in its efforts to combat corruption and increase government transparency for its citizens. “The 2024 Budget Simulator allows citizens to stay informed about how tax revenues are spent and demonstrates the Government's commitment to promoting understanding of public spending processes among citizens and civil society organizations so they can participate in building a better society and strengthening democracy,” stated Ariel Jahner in his remarks. He also emphasized that the tool allows Dominicans to make recommendations on the use and management of the taxes they pay, which the Government uses to finance public needs. For his part, Rafael Jovine, Director of Economic Studies and Financial Budget Monitoring, explained that the tool allows users to simulate the distribution of income and expenses that best suits their criteria, within established limits, enabling them to submit their “ideal budget” to the government along with comments and opinions. “At Digepres, we don't just want to publish documents, but also to promote social participation and strengthen budget transparency,” said Rafael Jovine, explaining the tool's general features. At the close of the platform's launch, the Director General of the Budget highlighted the limitations of the current fiscal scenario, where almost 90.1% of the total projected tax revenue for 2024 is committed to six major areas: education, debt interest, social policies and subsidies, public health, central bank recapitalization, and local governments. “For us, it is important to leverage information and communication technologies (ICTs) to bring the government closer to society, in order to learn firsthand their specific assessments and opinions on current budget policy,” emphasized Rijo Presbot. Likewise, it encouraged the academic community, journalists, unions, influencers, young people, and civil society to actively participate in the discussion on spending priorities by submitting their proposals and joining the Citizen Meetings actively organized by DIGEPRES. Initiatives that guarantee the right to know: As part of its commitment to the right to know, DIGEPRES adds the Budget Simulator to other initiatives such as the Citizen Budget, the Citizen Meetings on Budgeting, weekly budget execution reports, and budget infographics; as well as actions promoted in coordination with the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development (MEPyD), such as the registration of territorial consultations for validating citizen demands in budget formulation, which are incorporated into the RUDCT platform. This set of initiatives has earned international recognition, placing the country first in the Americas for social participation in the budget and third for social transparency, according to the 2023 Open Budget Survey by the International Budget Partnership (IBP). The event took place in the Juan Bosch Budget Room, with the participation of directors, division heads, and staff from the General Directorate of Budget (Digepres).