DBM backs calls for transparency in bicameral budget negotiations 

DEPARTMENT of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman has joined calls for more transparency and public participation in the private bicameral committee meetings to harmonize the two Congressional budget bills.

In a television appearance on Money Talks with Cathy Yang, asked if she would gather support among cabinet secretaries to publicize bicam meetings, Ms. Pangandaman said: “Yes! That’s what transparency is all about.”

Her remarks follow the emergence of legal challenges to the P6.326-trillion national budget for 2025.

The bicam committee meetings seek to harmonize the Senate and House versions of a bill such as the signed national budget for 2025. These are held behind closed doors, with the release of a report afterwards the only official public disclosure on the proceedings.

“Maybe we can (disclose more), during our Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (meetings). Also, we can probably make representations to the leadership in both houses if that’s possible. But, you know, it’s a constitutional mandate. It’s part of the budget process. You have to give it to them. It is a powerful force,” Ms. Pangandaman said.

Civil Society Organizations (CSO), the Makabayan bloc, former senator Panfilo M. Lacson, and Ako Bicol Rep. Elizaldy S. Co have proposed making bicam meetings on the national budget accessible to the public.

“While we want to push for the President’s budget to be the exact one, once it’s presented to the President, we also have to respect (the Congressional) mandate,” Ms. Pangandaman said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. called the 2025 national budget “suboptimal” in the form passed by Congress, citing the reduction in appropriations for vulnerable sectors.

On Feb. 8, criminal complaints were filed against Speaker Martin G. Romualdez and other legislators over the alleged P241 billion worth of insertions in the budget.

Ms. Pangandaman noted the ways in which the government has sought to make the budget transparent and accessible to the public. 

“Our website is very much comprehensive. Once we release our National Expenditure Program, the President’s budget, and even the General Appropriations Act, the next day it’s already there. We have a people’s budget,” she said.

She also said that the GAA report is written in layman’s terms despite its technical nature and is readily available on the DBM website.

“We’re top in the open budget survey for transparency. Because the DBM has always been open in terms of providing information. It was always out there. We even have a CSO desk in DBM. Any CSO or any organization can just go to us and ask for information,” she said.

Ms. Pangandaman was referring to the 2023 Open Budget Survey (OBS), in which the Philippines ranked 15^th out of 125^th countries with an open budget index score of 75. This was higher than the global average of 45 and put the Philippines first in Asia.

In the same report, the Philippines placed 13^th worldwide for public participation, with a score of 33 out of 100, which is significantly higher than the global average score of 15. 

In addition, the government said the implementing rules and regulations of the New Government Procurement Act, which it described as the country’s “biggest anti-corruption measure,” is set to be released on Feb. 10.

“In the new government procurement plan, there is a provision there for civil society, POs (people’s organizations,) and NGOs (non-governmental organizations), to be observers in the procurement process at all stages.” — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

Money Talks with Cathy Yang premieres on Feb. 10 at 9:30 a.m. from Monday to Friday on ONE News.

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