This budget brief highlights the importance of the 2023 National Budget as the Philippines reopens in the middle of a pandemic, following a change in government administration. Issues raised include the growth of debt service which limits the productive part of the budget and the need for NG to generate more revenues to finance key programs and sustain economic recovery. This brief is divided into major sections which include the following: 1) Sectoral allocation; 2) Climate change and R&D expenditures; 3) Allocation by expense class; 4) Allocation by recipient unit; 5) Budget utilization performance; and 6) Special purpose funds. Moving forward, it emphasizes, among others, the need for government agencies to improve on operational efficiency, and for the government to prioritize productive investments as well as embark on cost-saving expenditures (including initiatives for rightsizing, e-governance).