Ejercito opens 2027 budget bicam hearings to civil society groups

MANILA, Philippines — Senate finance committee chairman Jose Victor “JV” Ejercito said that the Senate will open the bicameral conference committee to the civil society organizations (CSOs) for a more transparent 2027 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

The Senate will resume its plenary sessions on Nov. 9, where the senators will deliberate the P7.2 trillion budget bill for next year.

Ejercito said that apart from livestreaming the hearings, they invited business coalitions, civic groups, and watchdogs to help the Senate scrutinize the House-approved version of the 2027 GAB.

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“We are continuing to build on our best practices. This year, we will be inviting CSOs to sit in and observe the bicameral proceedings,” he said in a statement.

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“Having more eyes on the budget will help us spot any unvetted projects or last-minute insertions that may be introduced during the bicam,” he added.

READ: No exceptions in Senate’s review of 2027 budget – Lacson

He said that all Senate finance committee budget hearings will be livestreamed to allow the public to follow through the deliberations of each agency in real time.

The committee met with CSOs last Monday, Oct. 26, where business coalitions, civic groups, and watchdogs showed their recommendations on the proposed budget for next year.

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Among pushed were digital tools, such as BetterGov.ph embedded in the Senate’s budget transparency portal.

“These tools were built by watchdogs themselves, and we are glad to give them a home on the Senate website so ordinary citizens can scrutinize where public funds are going,” he said.

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He said that the Senate finance committee is already finalizing its subcommittee report and will formally sponsor the 2027 GAB on the Senate floor in November.

Ejercito said the initiatives align with his pending legislative measures, such as the Senate Bill No. 2576, or the Bantay Budget Act, which seeks to institutionalize CSO participation in the national budget proceedings.

He added Senate Bill No. 257, or the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting Act, which aims to incorporate community planning into local and national spending plans.

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“A national budget should be a direct reflection of the people’s priorities, their basic needs. From the first hearing to the final bicam, we want every single peso in the 2027 budget to be accountably and transparently allocated,” he said. /gsg