Metro Manila, Philippines – The Senate has approved the proposed ₱6.793-trillion national budget for next year, paving the way for the anticipated historic livestreaming of the bicameral conference committee meetings which will reconcile the House of Representatives and Senate versions.
The chamber passed the budget bill on third and final reading on Tuesday, Dec. 9. All 17 senators present voted in favor.
They are:
Bam Aquino
Chiz Escudero
Jinggoy Estrada
Win Gatchalian
Bong Go
Risa Hontiveros
Ping Lacson
Lito Lapid
Loren Legarda
Rodante Marcoleta
Robin Padilla
Kiko Pangilinan
Tito Sotto
Erwin Tulfo
Raffy Tulfo
Joel Villanueva
Migz Zubiri
Ahead of the vote, Senator Erwin Tulfo, a vice chair of the finance panel, said some House lawmakers opposed plans to livestream the meeting.
“Ang problema, may mga kumukontra. Hindi dito sa amin, sa kabila, sa House, ayaw nila. Sabi nga ni Senator Sotto, mukhang nagkaroon sila ng diskusyonan,” Tulfo told reporters in a chance interview.
[Translation: The problem is, there are those opposing it. Not from us, but in the other house, they do not want the livestreaming. Senator Sotto said there may have been discussions about this.]
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson confirmed hearing about “some resistance” on the House side, noting that the lower chamber has yet to pass a counterpart resolution for an “open bicam.”
“Kailangan both houses magpass noon para maging binding [Both houses must pass that for it to be binding],” he added.
Asked about these concerns, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said that while there may have been some feelers, House Speaker Bojie Dy did not raise any objection when they met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday morning.
“At hindi naman kami papayag dahil yun ang usapan namin nina presidente. Si President Marcos mismo ang nagsabi na dapat ila-livestream,” he said.
[Translation: We will not accede since that was the conversation among us with the president. President Marcos himself said the proceeding should be on livestream.]
“Hindi ako papayag na hindi naka-livestream,” he added.
[Translation: We will not agree if the meeting is not on livestream.]
Last week, Senate finance committee chairperson Win Gatchalian said he had been coordinating with his House counterpart, Mika Suansing, on arrangements for an open bicam.
In a video statement Tuesday, Suansing affirmed the House’s position: “The House has always been very firm on our commitment to opening the bicameral conference committee proceedings, more specifically livestreaming the bicam.”
The bicam has long been criticized for making controversial changes to the national budget behind closed doors. Amid the ongoing flood control corruption scandal — where lawmakers are under investigation for allegedly inserting funds in exchange for kickbacks — this year’s bicam proceedings will be opened to the public for transparency and scrutiny.
