Jamaine Punzalan

The House of Representatives, September 17, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The House of Representatives on Wednesday adopted a concurrent resolution for an open bicameral conference committee on the 2026 budget.</p><p>In a photo posted by ML party-list Rep. Leila de Lima, House Concurrent Resolution No. 8 said that “all conference committee deliberations on the GAB (General Appropriations Bill) shall be open to the public, conducted in person or through digital livestreaming.”</p><p>“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,” De Lima said in a statement. </p><p>She said this was “a crucial step toward a more transparent national budget, as the public will now have access to the bicam proceedings as would deter a repetition of irregularities that marred the bicam deliberations relative to the 2025 GAB.”    </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/11/suansing-libanan-in-12-member-house-contingent-to-bicam-on-budget-0014">Suansing, Libanan in 12-member House contingent to bicam on budget</a></div><p>Meanwhile, House Committee on Appropriations Vice Chairperson Zia Alonto Adiong said Thursday that the House’s push for the first-ever fully open bicameral conference committee were part of procedural reforms introduced during the early part of the 20th Congress, under then Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. </p><p>He said the following changes helped establish the transparency framework now guiding the 2026 budget deliberations. </p><p>• Abolition of the ‘small committee’, which previously finalized amendments behind closed doors;</p><p>• Opening of House–Senate bicameral conference meetings to allow real-time scrutiny by the public and the media;</p><p>• Formal participation of civil society groups, people’s organizations, and private sector representatives in House budget hearings;</p><p>• Strengthened oversight mechanisms to ensure timely and proper implementation of appropriations; and</p><p>• Prioritization of investments that directly benefit communities and essential public services.</p><p>“These reforms were designed to make the budget more transparent, participatory, and accessible,” Adiong said. “They set the tone for how the House continues to improve the process today.”</p><p>Back in August, the Senate also adopted a concurrent resolution to enforce transparency measures for public access to information on the deliberations of the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) on the budget. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/9/sotto-hopes-to-finish-bicam-on-proposed-2026-budget-on-dec-14-or-15-2127">Sotto hopes to finish bicam on proposed 2026 budget on Dec 14 or 15</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/10/jinggoy-estrada-withdraws-from-budget-bicam-1248">Estrada withdraws from budget bicam</a></div><p>— With report from Agatha Gregorio, ABS-CBN News</p><div><iframe width="1080" height="608" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9RyLv1X5SPk" title="Opposition to livestream? Suansing says House firm in commitment to open budget bicam | ANC" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The House of Representatives on Wednesday adopted a concurrent resolution for an open bicameral conference committee on the 2026 budget.</p>

The House of Representatives on Wednesday adopted a concurrent resolution for an open bicameral conference committee on the 2026 budget.

House adopts concurrent resolution for ‘open and transparent bicam’

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House adopts concurrent resolution for ‘open and transparent bicam’

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Published December 11, 2025 09:46 AM PHT

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