Wikipedia

Kim Robert de Leon

Kim Robert Cuevas de Leon (born 1993 or 1994) is a Filipino academic and bureaucrat who has served as the ad interim secretary of budget and management since 2026. He previously held executive positions at the Department of Budget and Management and Department of Transportation.

Kim Robert de Leon
Man with glasses in a Barong Tagalog
Official Portrait, 2026
Secretary of Budget and Management
Ad interim
Assumed office
May 19, 2026
PresidentBongbong Marcos
Preceded by
Undersecretary for Administration and Finance of the Department of Transportation
In office
July 2022 – January 2024
PresidentBongbong Marcos
Undersecretary of the Department of Budget and Management
In office
September 2021 – July 2022
President
Personal details
BornKim Robert Cuevas de Leon
1990 or 1991 (age 35–36)
Navotas, Philippines
Education
Occupation
  • Academic
  • bureaucrat

A graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman, de Leon is a professor of public administration and has taught at his alma mater.

Early life and education

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De Leon is a native of Navotas.[1] Since his elementary education, he has been active with the city's program for the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, earning three awards from the organization: Bronze in 2017, Silver in 2019, and Gold in 2021.[1][2]

De Leon studied at the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance at the University of the Philippines Diliman, where he earned his Bachelor of Public Administration in 2014, graduating magna cum laude and as valedictorian.[3] While at college, he lobbied for the passage of the Navotas Youth Code, which established the Navotas City Council for Youth Development.[1]

In 2016, De Leon earned a rating of 83.50% at the Environmental Planning Licensure Exam, emerging as the topnotcher for that year.[1] He later obtained a Master of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning in the same university then and a Master of Public Safety Administration degree from the Philippine Public Safety College.[4]In 2021, he obtained a Certificate in Business Process Management from the Queensland University of Technology, studying under the Australia Awards Scholarship Program.[5]

Career

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In September 2021, de Leon was appointed as an undersecretary at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), leading the Organization and Systems Improvement and Information and Communications Technology Groups.[6] Before being appointed to that position, he was serving as an assistant secretary and director IV at the same department.[6] In July 2022, Marcos appointed him to serve at the Department of Transportation, serving as undersecretary for administration and finance under Secretary Jaime Bautista.[7]

In August 2025, he became an assistant professor at his alma mater.[8]

Secretary of Budget and Management (since 2026)

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Appointment

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De Leon being sworn in as budget and management secretary by President Bongbong Marcos on May 29, 2025

On May 13, 2026, The Philippine Star reported that de Leon was being considered to succeed Acting Budget and Management Secretary Rolando Toledo as part of a cabinet reshuffle.[9] Five days later, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed that President Bongbong Marcos appointed de Leon as secretary of budget and management, scheduling his swearing-in for the following day.[10][11][12]

Appointed at age 35, he is the youngest person to be appointed to the post in the department's history, as well as youngest member of the Marcos cabinet.[13][14] His appointment received a positive reception from policy experts including former representative Joey Salceda, who commended de Leon's "technical proficiency" demonstrated in his in the 2020, 2021, and 2022 national budgets.[15]

Tenure

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De Leon was sworn in on May 19, 2026.[16] During the turnover ceremony, de Leon stated that his priorities as secretary is to "tighten oversight of government spending" and "crack down on corruption" to rebuild public confidence in the DBM, following the department's involvement in the flood control projects scandal under his predecessor.[17]

Personal life

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De Leon is a philatelist. He holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of pope stamps, maintaining a collection of 2,398 stamps.[18] He was conferred the award on February 22, 2024.[19]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 Serafica, Raisa Marielle (June 26, 2016). "Environmental planning topnotcher: Use more lands for education". Rappler. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  2. ↑ Caratiquet, Dean Aubrey (May 18, 2026). "PBBM appoints Kim Robert de Leon as new Budget Secretary". PTV News. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  3. ↑ Cupin, Bea (May 18, 2026). "Marcos picks young UP professor as new budget chief". Rappler. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  4. ↑ Maralit, Kristina (May 18, 2026). "Marcos names new budget chief". The Manila Times. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  5. ↑ Peralta-Malonzo, Third Anne (May 18, 2026). "Kim Robert de Leon appointed as new DBM secretary". SunStar Publishing Inc. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  6. 1 2 Chi, Cristina (May 19, 2026). "Kim Robert De Leon is Marcos' new budget chief". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  7. ↑ Sarao, Zacarian (July 26, 2022). "6 more DOTr officials sworn into office". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 1, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  8. ↑ Cabato, Luisa (May 18, 2026). "UP assistant professor Kim Robert de Leon named new DBM secretary". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  9. ↑ Ronda, Ranier Allan. "Cabinet revamp? DICT chief denies he has resigned". Philstar.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2026. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  10. ↑ Esguerra, Darryl John (May 18, 2026). "Marcos taps Kim Robert de Leon as new DBM chief, Toledo heads to GSIS". Philippine News Agency. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  11. ↑ Domingo, Katrina (May 18, 2026). "Marcos names young UP professor as new budget chief, youngest in DBM history". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  12. ↑ Ayeng, Raffy (May 18, 2026). "Marcos appoints Kim Robert De Leon as new DBM secretary". Daily Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  13. ↑ Domingo, Katrina (May 18, 2026). "Marcos names Kim Robert de Leon as new Budget chief, youngest in DBM history". ABS-CBN News.
  14. ↑ Rico, Everly (May 18, 2026). "Ex-USec. Kim Robert de Leon, itinalaga bilang bagong DBM chief; Pinakabata sa kasaysayan ng ahensiya" [Ex-USec. Kim Robert de Leon appointed new DBM Chief; youngest in agency's history]. Bombo Radyo News (in Tagalog). Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  15. ↑ Rosal, Derco (May 18, 2026). "Salceda: New budget chief faces herculean task amid fuel crisis". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  16. ↑ Cabato, Luisa (May 19, 2026). "Marcos swears in Kim Robert de Leon as new DBM chief". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  17. ↑ Arceo, Niña Myka Pauline (May 21, 2026). "New DBM chief: Budget won't be 'abused again'". The Manila Times. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Record-setting stamp collection on display at Robinsons Manila". Manila Bulletin. May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
  19. ↑ Maralit, Kristina (May 18, 2026). "New DBM chief De Leon holds world record for stamp collecting". The Manila Times. Retrieved May 18, 2026.
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