The Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday welcomed the decision of the Bicameral Conference Committee to livestream its deliberations on the 2026 national budget, saying transparency should become ‘the standard practice and the norm moving forward.’
‘Transparency in legislative deliberations strengthens public trust and ensures that accountability remains at the heart of governance,’ the Ombudsman said in a statement on October 22.
The anti-graft body lauded the decision to air the bicameral committee proceedings on the P6.793-trillion spending plan, saying such openness allows the public to better understand and engage with the democratic process.
‘Democracy thrives best when its processes are seen, understood, and scrutinized by the very people it serves,’ the statement read.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had earlier announced that the bicameral sessions on the national budget would be livestreamed to ‘encourage transparency’ and make clear who proposed any questionable insertions or changes.
Marcos said he had discussed the plan with Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Faustino Dy III ahead of the bicameral deliberations.
The House approved the proposed P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill for 2026 on October 13 through House Bill 4058.
The move comes as the administration faces heightened public scrutiny over alleged irregularities in infrastructure allocations, with calls for greater transparency in budget preparation and deliberations.
During his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July, Marcos said the government was prepared to operate under a reenacted budget for 2026 if Congress passed a version inconsistent with his administration’s priorities.
Last year, the president vetoed P194 billion in questionable line items from the P6.326-trillion 2025 budget, citing inconsistency with government programs.