Lawmakers Advocate True People’s Budget for Transparency
In a move to strengthen public involvement, lawmakers are championing a true people’s budget that promotes transparency and accountability. Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing emphasized that proposed reforms in the budget-making process will empower citizens and organizations to actively participate, scrutinize, and suggest improvements.
Suansing outlined three major reforms she aims to implement. First, she plans to abolish the “small committee” that handles budget amendments behind closed doors. Second, she advocates opening bicameral conference committee meetings to the public. Third, she intends to allow civil society organizations to observe and voice concerns during the budget process.
Opening Doors: Civil Society’s Role in Budget Oversight
As the newly appointed chairperson of the House committee on appropriations, Suansing said they will dedicate specific days during budget deliberations for civil society groups to review and comment on the National Expenditures Program (NEP). This initiative ensures that the people’s funds are managed transparently and inclusively.
“Our third reform is enabling civil society organizations to serve as budget watchdogs. The budget is the people’s funds, and it is the right of our people to have a voice in how every peso is appropriated, and to know where it is spent,” Suansing stated.
She further explained, “We will allot several days for a people’s budget review during committee deliberations. Here, people’s organizations can ask questions and suggest amendments related to the NEP.”
Institutionalizing Public Participation
These reforms align with House Resolution No. 94, which institutionalizes the participation of genuine people’s organizations as official non-voting observers in public budget hearings. Suansing stressed the importance of ensuring every Filipino’s voice is heard in crafting the budget.
“We want to transform this into a people’s budget where the voice of each Filipino is heard when crafting the budget. These are the three biggest reforms I will propose to our Speaker and colleagues in Congress as chairperson of the committee on appropriations,” she said.
Reforming the Small Committee and Enhancing Process Transparency
Suansing also proposed abolishing the small committee, a panel made up of key officials and leaders that reviews budget amendments after final approval. Instead, she suggests creating a subcommittee at the start of deliberations to handle proposed amendments from the executive branch.
This subcommittee would be led by a senior vice chairperson or vice chairperson of the appropriations committee and include members nominated by political parties and the minority coalition.
“This isn’t about optics. It’s about outcomes. These changes aren’t just procedural; they are political, moral, and constitutional commitments to restore the Filipino people’s faith in how public funds are handled,” Suansing emphasized. “There will be no hidden committees; all deliberations will be public.”
Speaker Romualdez’s Call for Transparency
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has also urged for greater transparency in the budget process, calling it a strong deterrent against corruption. His statements followed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), where the President warned lawmakers he would not approve any budget misaligned with the administration’s priorities.
Marcos underscored that he would rather see a reenacted budget than sign a flawed one, amid concerns about potential corruption in flood control project funds.
Flood control has become a major focus after Senator Panfilo Lacson alerted that nearly half of the almost P2 trillion allocated since 2011 might have been lost, underscoring the urgent need for thorough review.
For more news and updates on the people’s budget, visit Filipinokami.com.
