House Forms Task Force on People’s Participation in Budget Process
MANILA — The House of Representatives has established a task force on people’s participation in budget deliberations, aiming to enhance transparency and public involvement. This initiative comes alongside the release of interim guidelines that allow civil society organizations (CSOs) to actively engage in reviewing the National Expenditures Program (NEP).
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco signed Memorandum Circular No. 20-002, mandating the creation of the House Task Force on People’s Participation (TFPP) in Budget Deliberations. This body will act as the main liaison between the House Secretariat and CSOs to facilitate their participation in the budget process.
Key Functions of the Task Force on People’s Participation
The TFPP’s responsibilities include serving as the central communication channel between the Committee on Appropriations and accredited CSO observers. It will ensure secure and official exchanges, both for in-person and virtual budget hearings.
Moreover, the task force will manage the dissemination of hearing schedules, establish systems for submitting and distributing position papers and technical notes from observers to legislators, and develop frameworks to monitor and evaluate the observer mechanism’s effectiveness.
Gathering feedback from both House members and CSO observers after deliberations is also part of its mandate, aiming to continuously improve policies and implementation strategies.
Legal Basis and Speaker’s Perspective
The memorandum circular operationalizes House Resolution (HR) No. 94, adopted on August 5. This resolution seeks to expand public participation in the budget process and open bicameral conference committee meetings to third-party observers.
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the author of HR No. 94, emphasized the importance of involving CSOs and people’s organizations (POs) in budget discussions. “The national budget is our clearest statement of priorities. And if we are with the CSOs and the POs in building this budget, we can ensure that each peso would go to the true needs of the people and the nation,” Romualdez said in Filipino.
He added, “For every peso allocated to programs and projects, the people will participate. The national budget should truly reflect the people’s dreams and aspirations.”
Composition and Accreditation Process
The TFPP will include representatives from the Secretary General’s office, the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on People’s Participation, the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department, the Press and Public Affairs Bureau, and the Legislative Security Bureau.
CSOs and POs interested in participating must undergo an accreditation process. The Secretary General will issue public calls for applications, and organizations will be required to submit a letter of intent, a basic profile, contact details for two representatives, evidence of registration with a government agency, and proof of advocacy work.
Rules of Decorum and Orientation
The TFPP will review applications and notify organizations about their acceptance. Once accredited, representatives must attend an orientation covering the code of conduct, rules of decorum, document access, behavior during hearings, and security protocols.
Romualdez assured, “We are working on the most open Congress in recent memory. We will ensure that the Congress is open, listening, and ready to engage so that a true ‘Budget of the People’ will be passed.”
Interim Implementation and Future Plans
Velasco noted that the interim rules will apply during the 2026 budget deliberations. Afterward, the House will evaluate the process and refine the framework, potentially enshrining it in House rules or legislation.
“The lessons learned will help us design a permanent framework for participatory budgeting, ensuring that this reform becomes a lasting feature of the House of Representatives,” Velasco said.
Budget Deliberations and Reform Efforts
The House Committee on Appropriations, led by Nueva Ecija 1st District Representative Mikaela Suansing, has begun reviewing the proposed 2026 national budget. They recently met with the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), which includes the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Finance, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development, and the Office of the President.
Calls for greater transparency have intensified. Suansing announced plans to push for the abolition of the controversial “small committee,” which amends the budget even after the General Appropriations Bill’s third reading approval.
Other reforms include opening bicameral conference committee meetings for public observation and accrediting CSOs to monitor the process and voice concerns.
2026 National Budget Highlights
The DBM submitted the 2026 NEP to the House on August 13. The largest allocation is for education, with P928.5 billion, followed by public works at P881.3 billion, and health at P320.5 billion.
Other significant allocations include defense (P299.3 billion), interior and local government (P287.5 billion), agriculture (P239.2 billion), social welfare (P277 billion), transportation (P198.6 billion), judiciary (P67.9 billion), and labor and employment (P55.2 billion).
Overall, social services receive the biggest portion at P2.314 trillion, followed by economic services (P1.868 trillion), general public services (P1.202 trillion), debt burden (P978.7 billion), and defense (P430.9 billion).
For more news and updates on people’s participation in budget, visit Filipinokami.com.
