Party-list to refile resolution for open bicam panel budget deliberations

Metro Manila, Philippines - A party-list representative said they will refile a resolution that pushes to open the bicameral conference committee’s budget deliberations to the public.

Under the Congressional process, the Senate and House of Representatives approve the budget bill separately. The differing provisions will be reconciled by the bicameral conference committee. The reconciled version will be ratified and submitted to the president for signature.

The Congress’ budget hearings are live streamed but not the bicameral committee discussion.

“Definitely, ire-refile natin ito dahil nakita naman natin with the experience of the 2025 budget, maraming mga question na lumabas sa bicam report, including ‘yung mga blank,” new ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said in an interview.

[Translation: We will definitely refile this because with the 2025 budget, there were many questions in the bicam report, including the blank allocations.]

“Kailangan open to the public and open to the media ‘yung proceedings ng bicam sa budget tapos dapat available sa public lahat ng mga budget documents at pati ‘yung mga transcripts ng proceedings,” he said.

[Translation: The proceedings need to be open to the public and the media. The budget documents and transcript of proceedings should also be available to the public.]

Last year, the ACT Teachers, Kabataan, and Gabriela party-lists filed a resolution for public access to the bicameral discussions.

New Kabataan Rep. Renee Co highlighted the importance of the move.

“Nakita naman natin na through the bicameral conference committee, ang dami nilang changes na ginagawa na hindi naman alinsunod doon sa mga pumasa sa House and Senate versions. Hindi dapat separate o may third house sa loob ng Kongreso,” she said.

[Translation: We support the calls for the opening of the budget bicam deliberations because we saw through the bicameral conference committee, there were changes which were not in accordance with the approved House and Senate versions. There should not be a separate or third house inside Congress.]

House spokesperson Princess Abante reiterated House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s support for calls on public bicameral budget deliberations and hoped that it will be realized.

“We are looking forward na magkaroon ng enough na suporta para mabuksan ang bicam para lahat ay makikita ‘yung buong proseso,” Abante said in a press briefing.

[Translation: We are looking forward to gathering enough support to open the bicam so everyone can see the whole process.]

House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan called Romualdez’s support as a “bold step forward for transparency and democratic accountability.”

Former Finance Undersecretary Cielo Magno took to social media her call to publicize the bicameral conference talks through #OpenBicam.