House adopts measure on public access to bicam talks on 2026 national budget

The House of Representatives has adopted a resolution in support of the public’s access to the bicameral conference committee deliberations on the proposed P6.793 trillion national budget for 2026 through livestreaming and access to related public records.

The lower chamber adopted House Concurrent Resolution No. 8 authored by Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, House Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, House Minority Leader and 4Ps Rep. Marcelino Libanan, and House appropriations panel chair Rep. Mikaela Suansing.

The House plenary adopted the resolution via a voice vote on Wednesday night.

The measure noted that alleged irregularities in the bicameral conference committee deliberations on the General Appropriations Bill is an opportunity “further strengthening adherence and constitutional precepts of accountability and transparency in public governance.” 

“The continuing refinement of our budgetary processes is essential to ensuring that public resources are allocated in a manner that promotes quality and accessible education, equitable access to food security, adequate housing, timely healthcare, and robust responses to the climate emergency, thereby supporting national progress and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals,” it said.

“Transparency and accountability must be the cornerstones of legislation, such that: all conference committee deliberations on the GAB shall be open to the public, conducted in person or through digital live streaming,” the resolution added.

The House measure stated that the bicameral committee report on the GAB should present the reconciled amounts as agreed upon by the members, as well as produce minutes of the meetings that will also be open to the public. 

The bicameral conference committee reconciles the disagreeing provisions of the Senate and House versions of the proposed national budget.

Their hearings used to be a closed door affair, but lawmakers began to favor public access to the proceedings this year amid questionable budget insertions in the 2025 spending plan.

House Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Leila de Lima of ML Party-list said public access to the bicameral conference committee hearings is long overdue.

“We thank the House leadership and our colleagues for heeding the people’s call and adopting House Concurrent Resolution No. 8 to implement an open and transparent bicam,” she said in a statement.

De Lima added: “This is a crucial step toward a more transparent national budget, as the public will now have access to the bicam proceedings that would deter a repetition of irregularities that marred the bicam deliberations relative to the 2025 GAB.”

On Thursday, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said the bicameral panel meeting was moved to December 13 as Congress’ technical staff asked for one more day to craft the details of the matrix and reconcile conflicting provisions and amounts. — JMA, GMA Integrated News