Senate open to public access in budget bicam talks

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June 30, 2025 | 2:57pm

MANILA, Philippines — Following a contentious 2025 budget cycle last year, the Senate has signaled its openness to making the national budget deliberation process public.

The Department of Budget and Management recently announced the official tally for the proposed 2026 national budget: a sizable  P6.793 trillion. The agency will submit the budget to Congress on July 15, signaling the start of the budget season. 

While much of the budget process is already public—with committee hearings livestreamed and open to the media—observers often raise concerns about the opaque nature of the bicameral conference committee, or "bicam." This is where the Senate and House reconcile differences in their versions of the budget bill.

Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr. said in a statement that the chamber welcomes “serious proposals” to enhance transparency in the budget process.

“Calls to increase transparency in the bicam are always welcome. The Senate is open to serious proposals that will enhance public access and understanding of the crafting of the national budget,” Bantug said.

Bantug said that public scrutiny is vital to democratic governance. “Our kababayan have every right to know how their money is spent, and their active participation helps ensure that their elected representatives remain responsive and accountable to the people who entrusted us with this responsibility,” he added.

Making it permanent. Sen. Ping Lacson, a longtime advocate for fiscal transparency, said he will refile a measure to open up the bicam process in the 20th Congress.

“One of the 10 priority bills that I will file starting June 30 is a bill to ensure transparency in the bicam deliberations on the national budget bill—a proposed measure I have filed in past Congresses. I hope there will be a counterpart bill in the House for my bill in the Senate,” Lacson said.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros also endorsed proposals to open the bicam to public scrutiny, calling it one of the best suggestions she’s heard in a long time.

She said she is hopeful the reform could advance in the 20th Congress, especially with House Speaker Martin Romualdez publicly supporting an open bicam process.

What went before. In 2024, the bicam drew criticism after lawmakers removed the PhilHealth subsidy from the 2025 national budget. There was further backlash over allocations that appeared to favor infrastructure spending over education—despite constitutional provisions that prioritize funding for education.