House Speaker Opens Bicam Meetings for Transparency
MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez announced that the bicameral conference meetings on budget bills will now be open to third-party observers and livestreamed. This move aims to boost transparency during the critical budget approval process.
Romualdez emphasized that opening the bicam meetings is vital because transparency serves as a powerful tool in fighting corruption. “Now we turn to the cornerstone of governance: the national budget. The House of the People in the 20th Congress will not merely pass a budget; it will reshape how government spends, saves, and serves. We will open the bicameral conference to civil society observers,” he said.
Ensuring Public Access to Budget Discussions
Following the President’s directive, this initiative marks a historic first. Romualdez explained, “Transparency is not just a value, it is a weapon against corruption. We will allow the participation of watchdogs in all budget deliberations, from committee to the plenary. We will not only open Congress to the people and budget watchdogs, but they will also be able to watch all discussions on television and social media platforms,” he added, mixing Filipino and English.
Last Monday, during his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned lawmakers that he will reject any national budget proposal not aligned with the administration’s programs—even if it means reenacting the previous budget.
Addressing Corruption Concerns in Infrastructure Projects
Romualdez shared the President’s frustration over corruption allegations, especially those involving flood control projects. To counter these issues, the House plans to strengthen its oversight functions.
“We will strengthen our oversight functions and conduct mid-year performance reviews of all agencies. We heard the President’s SONA, and we take to heart his call—his frustration even—about the lingering shadow of corruption in our institutions. As Speaker, I share his concern and I accept his challenge, not with defensiveness but with determination,” Romualdez stated.
He further announced a comprehensive congressional review targeting ghost projects, inflated contracts, chronic underspending, and procurement abuses.
Understanding the Budget Process and Bicam Meetings
The current budget process begins with the executive branch drafting a National Expenditure Program (NEP) for each fiscal year. This is submitted to the President and then forwarded to Congress for review.
The House Committee on Appropriations deliberates on the NEP, making adjustments within the spending ceiling set by the President. The revised version becomes the General Appropriations Bill (GAB). After the House approves it, the Senate reviews and may amend the bill.
A bicameral conference committee then reconciles differences between the House and Senate versions. Previously, only the opening of bicam meetings was open to reporters, while the rest remained behind closed doors.
Since June, many lawmakers have supported opening bicam meetings to public scrutiny. Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre noted that Romualdez and most lawmakers see no issue with public observation.
Proposed Reforms to Strengthen Accountability
Beyond opening bicam meetings, Romualdez pledged to propose laws mandating real-time public reporting on project progress and fund usage. These bills will also set performance standards for contractors and agencies and establish a national infrastructure audit framework to prevent misuse of funds.
“The House will take the lead in building strong public accountability mechanisms, because our good governance is our duty, not our defense. The people’s money should not be stolen, should not be wasted. It is for the citizens—every centavo, every project, every service,” he said.
For more news and updates on bicameral conference meetings, visit Filipinokami.com.
