One-Year Reflection on Budget Efficiency: Not Just Numbers, But About Priorities. On Thursday, February 5, 2026, the APEKSI Directorate held a closed-door discussion to review the first year of implementation of Presidential Instruction No. 1 of 2025. Through media monitoring conducted throughout 2025, the discussion revealed the realities behind budget tightening that have transformed regional spending patterns. Representatives from the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) and the Regional Development Planning Agency (BPKAD) from various cities shared critical insights, ranging from the success of reducing bureaucratic red tape to the challenges of maintaining high-quality public service amid increasingly limited fiscal space.
Moderated by Rudy Mashudi (Head of the Bogor City Bapperida), the discussion concluded that efficiency does not mean stopping innovation, but rather a test of the city government’s discerning priorities. This year of progress demonstrates that cities that survive are those that successfully shift the narrative of “saving” to “optimization.” This meeting not only served as an evaluation forum, but also produced strategic recommendations for regional government agencies (OPDs) to remain agile in the second year of policy implementation, ensuring that every rupiah saved continues to contribute to real community welfare.