By Darryl John Esguerra; October 15, 2025, Philippine News Agency

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1261083

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday said the upcoming bicameral conference committee (bicam) deliberations on the 2026 national budget will be livestreamed — a first in Philippine legislative history — to prevent last-minute insertions and backroom “small committee” deals that have long stirred controversy.

In a media briefing in Malacañang, Marcos stressed that all appropriations reflected in the current version of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) passed by the House of Representatives are aligned with the executive’s National Expenditure Program.

“As far as we’ve been able to examine, there are no projects or items outside the socio-economic development plan,” Marcos said.

“Kung saan pupunta yung FMR [farm-to-market roads], kung saan pupunta yung school buildings (Whether its farm to market roads or school buildings) — all of these are part of the general plan,” he added.

Marcos said the executive will closely monitor the remaining steps in the budget process — including Senate deliberations and the bicam, which reconciles differing versions from both chambers.

Marcos said he already secured the agreement of Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Faustino Dy III to broadcast the full proceedings.

“The bicam is supposed to be a public hearing… So, now it will be all out in the open,” he said.

According to the Department of Budget and Management, this marks the first time in history that bicam budget deliberations will be opened to the public.

“As far as we know, (this is) first time in history ito. Because usually, Bicam proceedings are held by Congress nang (in) closed-door. The executive is not part of it. So we fully support it that it will be livestreamed now,” Budget Undersecretary Goddes Hope Libiran told reporters.

The transparency push comes amid heightened public scrutiny of government spending following recent revelations of alleged bloated and “ghost” flood control projects, which triggered lifestyle checks and a probe by the newly formed Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). (PNA)