Bicam talks on 2027 budget to be opened to CSOs -- JV Ejercito

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Senate finance committee chairperson JV Ejercito has committed to inviting civil society organizations (CSOs) to observe the bicameral conference committee deliberations on the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget for fiscal year 2027.

Just like last year, Ejercito also confirmed that the bicameral deliberations which would reconcile the Senate and the House of Representatives’ differing versions of the budget bill, would also be livestreamed to allow the public to watch the proceedings in real time.

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

“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.

Last Monday, October 26, the Senate panel conducted a dedicated hearing with CSOs to discuss their recommendations and concerns on the 2027 budget.

During the hearing, the People's Budget Coalition (PBC) cautioned against over a trillion worth of “red flags” under the proposed budget. These reportedly covered various types of “pork” or discretionary funds under the House General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

House leaders, on the other hand, defended the amendments made by the chamber to the proposed 2027 national budget, saying these were purportedly based on agency proposals and had been made on valid grounds.

Ejercito maintained that he wants to ensure that every single peso in the 2027 budget would be “accountably and transparently allocated.”

He also invited the public to use the digital tools developed by CSOs in reviewing budget documents and flagging questionable allocations.

“Transparency is not just a policy statement, it is an active mechanism. 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,” Ejercito said.

The Senate Finance panel is currently finalizing its committee report, with Ejercito set to formally sponsor the 2027 General Appropriations Bill on the floor this month. — RSJ, GMA News