QUEZON CITY, Philippines — Navotas City Lone District Representative Toby Tiangco filed a motion on Monday, September 21, seeking to reopen plenary interpellations on the House of Representatives’ own institutional budget, emphasizing the necessity for heightened transparency and fiscal accountability.
Tiangco submitted the request to presiding officer Deputy Speaker Janette Garin as the chamber prepared to continue marathon discussions on the proposed ₱7.2-trillion 2027 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).
The lawmaker explained that he was on official travel abroad when the schedule for the House budget deliberations was moved from September 24 to September 27, preventing his participation.
He contended that members ought to be granted the chance to examine the chamber’s spending plans, pointing out that plenary debates had previously been reopened for the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
Tiangco maintained that the legislature must adhere to strict financial standards.
“I think, more than the rules, transparency is more important than our rules,” Tiangco said.
“Kasi kung gusto po natin pigilan ang corruption, kailangan po may accountability. Wala pong accountability kung wala pong transparency,” he added.
Following a brief discussion and a standard roll call of representatives, Garin ruled Tiangco’s motion out of order, effectively blocking the request to re-evaluate the House budget.
Plenary discussions on the budgets of various government agencies continued late into the night before being suspended at 1:43 a.m. on Tuesday.