House of Representatives Enhances Transparency in 2026 Budget Deliberations

Metro Manila, Philippines – The House of Representatives has initiated a transparent approach to reviewing the 2026 national budget, reaffirming its commitment to public accountability by eliminating closed-door budget amendments. Nueva Ecija 1st District Representative Mika Suansing, chairperson of the Budget Amendments Review Sub-committee (BARSc), convened its inaugural meeting on Monday, September 22, emphasizing that only institutional amendments proposed by government agencies will be considered.

In an interview, Representative Suansing explained, "During budget deliberations, some congressmen expressed desires to increase funding for certain agencies or programs. We advised them to coordinate directly with those agencies to ensure their requests are formally included in the agency proposals."

One significant task for the sub-committee is reallocating the P255 billion removed from the Department of Public Works and Highways' revised budget. Suansing encouraged prioritizing spending on education, health, agriculture, and other sectors that contribute to human capital development. "This reallocation of such a substantial amount is unprecedented in the history of Congress. Our goal for the 2026 budget is to focus investments on strengthening human capital," she stated.

Following the BARSc review, the main appropriations committee will examine the outputs before presenting them to the plenary for deliberation on the proposed P6.7 trillion budget scheduled for Tuesday.

This move is part of broader budgetary reforms responding to recent multibillion-peso corruption allegations within public works funds. The House has pledged to conduct all budget deliberations openly and has called on civil society organizations to participate in overseeing the process, reinforcing a culture of transparency and integrity in government spending.