House urged to include input from third-party observers in budget deliberations
After the creation of a task force on people’s participation during national budget deliberations, Akbayan Rep. Percival Cendaña on Tuesday called on the House of Representatives to develop a mechanism where inputs made by organizations are also considered and discussed.
In an online interview, Cendaña said that while having civil society organizations (CSOs) monitor budget deliberations is a good initiative from the House committee on appropriations, there is still a lingering fear they might be reduced to “benchwarmers.”
He said that HRep Memorandum Circular No. 20-002, which laid out the guidelines for CSO participation in the budget-making process, did not specify how their inputs would be considered.
“When we saw the guidelines, I said ‘there is a need to improve these, this is not what we believe as genuine participation of civil society organizations’,” he told reporters.
“First of all, it is important that they have the opportunity to speak during the budget process, because based on their current guidelines, it seems they will be asked to just submit their position papers without a clear process on how these position papers might be considered,” he added.
Aside from this, Cendaña said the guidelines in the memorandum were completed without the provisions being vetted by lawmakers and groups.
Allowing third-party observers during the budget deliberations was one of the reforms introduced by the House leadership, including Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and appropriations committee chair Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Mikaela Suansing, amid public calls for more transparency.
Suansing previously said there would also be a People’s Budget Review—a one-day meeting with the groups to get their insights on the proposed 2026 budget.
Cendaña, however, said a single day might not be enough.
Still, he believes Suansing’s panel will be open to changes to make the hearings more transparent and inclusive toward third-party observers.
