THE decision to open and live-stream the Bicameral Conference Committee (bicam) deliberations on the 2026 national budget marks the culmination of months-long efforts by the House of Representatives to make the budget process more transparent, accountable, and open to public scrutiny.
This according to House Appropriations Chairperson Rep. Mikaela Angela B. Suansing, who at the start of the bicam on Saturday stressed the resolve of Congress to ensure a fully transparent budget process.
“Sa atin pong mga kababayan, tinanggal na po ng inyong Kongreso ang tabing sa usaping budget. Ginawa po ng inyong Kongreso ang lahat para siguraduhin na ang budget ay transparent, malinis, at may sapat na safeguards para siguraduhing hindi ito maaaring maabuso,” she said.
“Pinapangako po ng inyong Kongreso na ang budget para sa taong 2026 ay mararamdaman ng bawat Pilipino, na ito ay tunay na tumutugon sa pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan at ng ating bansa—na ito ay isang budget na inyong mapagkakatiwalaan.”
The lawmaker said opening the bicam proceedings to the public reflects the House’s broader effort to institutionalize transparency, accountability, and public participation throughout the budget cycle. She described the public bicam not as a one-off reform, but as the endpoint of changes that began even before formal deliberations on the 2026 budget began.
“Ang makasaysayang araw na ito—ang pinakaunang araw sa kasaysayan na bubuksan sa publiko ang bicam—ay sumasalamin po sa paninindigan ng Kongreso na tanggalin ang tabing sa usaping budget at talagang ipakita kung saan napupunta ang bawat piso ng buwis na mula sa dugo at pawis ng bawat Pilipino,” Suansing said.
She pointed out that “this is the actualization of the House’s commitment since August, even before the budget deliberations started, to open and live-stream the Bicameral Conference Committee proceedings.”
“We are here not only to reconcile disagreeing provisions of the 2026 budget, but to continue structural reforms that place transparency at the center of how public funds are allocated.”
Ahead of the bicameral stage, the House of Representatives introduced a series of safeguards aimed at strengthening oversight and public scrutiny of the budget. Among these was the abolition of the “small committee” and the creation of the first-ever Budget Amendments Review Sub-Committee (BARSc), which conducted more than 20 hours of deliberations on institutional amendments.
These BARSc sessions were live-streamed, with approved amendments presented line by line to allow the public to track changes to the proposed spending measure.
All committee hearings and plenary deliberations on the House version of the budget were likewise broadcast live. The House also expanded engagement with civil society organizations and conducted the country’s first People’s Budget Review. For the first time in recent history, the period of amendments was opened to all House members, with all approved changes incorporated before the bill was passed on second reading.
Suansing said these reforms were designed to ensure that the 2026 national budget is protected by clear safeguards and can withstand public and institutional scrutiny at every stage of the process.
As bicameral deliberations continue, she said the House panel looks forward to working with the Senate in crafting a final version of the 2026 budget “that is truly responsive to the needs of the Filipino people and our country.”
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