Makabayan bloc seeks public access to bicam budget hearings

Metro Manila, Philippines — A coalition of party-list groups is seeking to open bicameral committee hearings and documents on the national budget to the public in pursuit of transparency and accountability.

ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel filed House Resolution 2067 on Nov. 11 that calls for the open hearing. A copy of the resolution was shared to the media on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

The bicameral conference committee reconciles differences in the budget bills of the Senate and the House of Representatives in closed-door meetings.

The lawmakers said they aim to allow public access to deliberations on the General Appropriations Bill.

“The lack of transparency in Bicameral Conference Committee proceedings has enabled the insertion in the budget law of provisions that were not in the versions approved by either House, and oftentimes not even discussed in the deliberations of either House, effectively circumventing proper legislative inquiry,” the resolution stated.

“The closed-door ‘Third House’ overrules the decisions of the Lower House and the Senate, which are public as mandated by the Constitution,” it read.

The lawmakers said transparency in budget discussions is “crucial” in enabling public participation in governance and in making sure that state coffers are allocated accordingly.

Making the deliberations public will also assure the people’s right to hold lawmakers accountable, they said.

In September, the House approved the proposed ₱6.352 trillion national budget for 2025. The Senate’s plenary discussions are ongoing.

NewsWatch Plus correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.