House to enforce reforms in scrutinizing 2026 national budget

At least five significant reforms will be enforced by the House of Representatives in the scrutiny and enactment of the budget for fiscal year 2026, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said Wednesday. 

Romualdez made the commitment during the turnover of the P6.793 trillion National Expenditure Program to the lower chamber, which was witnessed by House leaders and Department of Budget and Management officials. 

Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman turned over the NEP to the House leadership. 

Romualdez pointed out that the reforms seek to ensure full transparency and to involve the public through people’s organizations, noting that the budget is the people’s money.

“A budget is not just a spending plan—it is a mirror of our priorities and a measure of our accountability to the people. And because this is the people’s money, the process of crafting it must be transparent, inclusive, and worthy of public trust,” Romualdez said. 

The NEP is more than numbers on paper, according to Romualdez, saying that it is the government’s plan ''to make the vision of a Bagong Pilipinas real—roads that connect communities, markets where food is affordable, schools that open doors to opportunity, hospitals that save lives, and safe, secure communities for every Filipino.''

Among the reforms is the removal of the “small committee” that collated institutional amendments. 

“Bukas ang talakayan. Lahat ng amendments, alam ng mamamayan,'' the Speaker said.

(The discussions are open. The public should know all amendments.) 

Also, the House will open the Bicameral Conference Committee on the budget to the public and the media.

The chamber will also invite civil society, people’s organizations, and the private sector to join budget hearings.

''Ang pambansang budget ay hindi pag-aari ng mga politiko; ito ay pera ng bawat Pilipinong nagbabayad ng buwis,'' Romualdez said.

(Politicians do not own the national budget. This is the money of every Filipino who pays taxes.) 

Romualdez further said the chamber would strengthen oversight—requiring timely reports from agencies and enabling real-time tracking of major projects.

He vowed that lawmakers would also prioritize investments that truly change lives including: agriculture for food security, infrastructure for connectivity and jobs, education for opportunity, health for all, and defense and disaster preparedness for national safety.

Romualdez said the reforms are not meant to slow the process; but they are meant to make it ''better, stronger, and more trusted.'' — RSJ, GMA Integrated News