Ched Rick Gatchalian

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Senate Minority bloc files joint reso seeking to open all bicam deliberations to the public

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (UPDATED) — In order to ensure transparency and accountability in the enactment of laws, the Senate Minority bloc along with two Senators from the majority, on Tuesday filed Senate Joint Resolution 1 seeking to open to the public all bicameral conference committee deliberations.The bloc is composed of Minority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Deputy Minority Leaders Risa Hontiveros and Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Loren Legarda.Senators Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan, although part of the majority, also signed the joint resolution.The resolution said bicam proceedings can be conducted in person or through digital livestreaming.The joint resolution is also pushing for two more requirements from the bicam committee: - produce a matrix comparing the differences between the House of Representatives’ and the Senate’s versions of the bill, and how these differences were resolved. This matrix will be made available to the public;- immediately produce comprehensive minutes of the meeting/s which will also be open to the public<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/30/senate-open-to-making-bicam-deliberations-more-transparent-1123">Senate open to making bicam deliberations more transparent</a></div>“What we mean by the resolution is that pagka may bicameral conference committee, dapat hindi closed door. Dapat even civil society is allowed, those concerned are allowed. Hindi pupuwedeng isang tao lang ang bicam, hindi pwedeng kung sino-sino lang,” said Sotto.The joint resolution referred to the accusation of budget irregularities and distortions in the 2025 General Appropriations Bill, with the most serious irregularity allegedly being the violation of the “constitutionally mandated provision that education shall have the highest budgetary priority.”In pushing for the joint resolution, the minority bloc cited Section 7, Article III of the Constitution which says, “The right of the people to information on matters of public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall be afforded the citizen, subject to such limitations as may be provided by law.”<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2024/12/19/marcos-shoots-down-new-bicam-meet-to-amend-2025-budget-bill-wala-sa-procedure-yan-1251">Marcos shoots down new bicam meet to amend 2025 budget bill: &#x27;Wala sa procedure ‘yan&#x27;</a></div>

In order to ensure transparency and accountability in the enactment of laws, the Senate minority bloc on Tuesday filed Senate Joint Resolution 1 seeking to open to the public all bicameral conference committee deliberations.

In order to ensure transparency and accountability in the enactment of laws, the Senate minority bloc on Tuesday filed Senate Joint Resolution 1 seeking to open to the public all bicameral conference committee deliberations.

Senate minority bloc files reso seeking to open all bicam deliberations to the public

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Senate minority bloc files reso seeking to open all bicam deliberations to the public

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 29, 2025 06:20 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 29, 2025 06:45 PM PHT

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