Geline Salac

Members of the House of Representatives open the 2nd regular session of the 19th Congress on July 24, 2023.  Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

HoR- 2nd Regular Session

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has announced that he wants the upcoming bicameral conference committee deliberations on the 2026 national budget livestreamed, a first in Philippine legislative history.People’s Budget Coalition technical advisor AJ Montesa said livestreaming the bicam deliberations is a good first step but noted more is needed to ensure the budget is free of corruption.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/15/diokno-wants-to-open-bicam-proceedings-to-avert-budget-insertions-1454">&#x27;That practice must stop&#x27;: Diokno wants to open bicam proceedings to avert budget insertions</a></div>His proposal: a transparency server similar to the Comelec election results that will show &#x27;live updates&#x27; of the different versions of the budget before it is signed into law.Montes said the public is usually only aware of the National Expenditure Program and the General Appropriations Act but not how the budget evolved into its final version.“The different versions of the budget na nasa House at Senate at bicam, hindi na natin nakikita. Maganda na ang dokumento nito ay nakapost online at hindi lang ‘yun.’“Dapat ang bawat line item ay nakalagay din sa website at sino ang may amendments at realignments.”Full transparency of the budget process, will be a “disinfectant” against corruption, he said.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/10/15/gatchalian-confirms-senate-has-received-house-s-proposed-2026-budget-2321">Gatchalian confirms Senate has received House&#x27;s proposed 2026 budget </a></div>On Monday, the House of Representatives approved the proposed 2026 national budget despite opposition to the P200 billion fund allocated under unprogrammed appropriations — a budget tool used to fund unseen expenditures but has been linked to flood control corruption.ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said 11 items were left under UA, including P97 billion for support to foreign-assisted projects, another P35 billion listed as the government of the Philippines’ counterpart for foreign-assisted projects, P50 billion for the revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program, and P45 billion for the Strengthening Assistance for Government Infrastructure Program (SAGIP), which was renamed the Strengthening Assistance for Social Programs.The UA also included funds for budgetary support to Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCC), programs on risk management, fiscal support to the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) program, Marawi siege victims’ compensation program, and insurance for government assets.

A proposal: a transparency server similar to the Comelec election results that will show 'live updates' of the different versions of the budget before it is signed into law.

A proposal: a transparency server similar to the Comelec election results that will show 'live updates' of the different versions of the budget before it is signed into law.

Bicam budget deliberations to be livestreamed. Now for the next step

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Bicam budget deliberations to be livestreamed. Now for the next step

David Dizon,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 16, 2025 08:09 AM PHT

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Updated October 16, 2025 06:10 PM PHT

Read More:

national budget

transparency

transparency server

aj montes

corruption

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