DBM backs another open bicam for 2027 national budget

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Friday said it is supporting any move to put the bicameral conference committee deliberations on the proposed ₱7.2-trillion national budget for 2027 on live-streaming or “open bicam” once again.

“As the proposed budget moves through Congress, there has also been considerable discussion about opening the bicameral conference committee deliberations to greater public scrutiny. The DBM welcomes and supports efforts toward greater transparency in the bicameral process,” Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon said during the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) Economic Forum in Manila.

“An open bicam would be consistent with the department's continuing push for a more transparent, accountable, and participatory budget process —one that allows the public to better understand how decisions involving taxpayers' money are made,” De Leon said.

In December last year, the bicam deliberations for the then proposed 2026 budget was put on live-streaming for the first time ever after congressional inquiries revealed that funds inserted or introduced by lawmakers at the bicam level funded questionable items, including alleged anomalous flood control projects.

“We recognize that the conduct of the bicameral conference committee ultimately rests with Congress, and we fully respect its constitutional authority, rules, and procedures. Should Congress move toward an open bicam, DBM stands ready to fully support it by providing the necessary technical information, budget documents, and clarifications to help ensure that the discussions are informed, accurate, and accessible to the public,” the Budget chief said.

On Tuesday, the President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. formally submitted on Tuesday to the 20th Congress the proposed ₱7.2-trillion national budget for fiscal year 2027.

“For us, greater transparency strengthens, not complicates, the budget process. We have nothing to gain from making the budget difficult to understand. On the contrary, when people can see how public funds are deliberated and allocated, we strengthen accountability and, ultimately, public trust,” De Leon said. — RSJ, GMA News