MANILA, Philippines — A representative of the People’s Budget Coalition (PBC) has expressed support for House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III’s pledge to enhance transparency within the national budget process.
Kenneth Isaiah Ibasco Abante commended Dy following a meeting between coalition members and the House leadership last Wednesday, where they discussed ways to improve public access to budget deliberations and supporting files.
“Thank you, Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie ‘Dy III, for meeting with the People’s Budget Coalition last Wednesday, acknowledging the points for improvement in the House process, and committing to working with us budget watchdogs and civil society groups to open up these documents and deliberations so that every taxpayer can verify where our taxes go,” Abante shared in a social media statement.
The dialogue follows Dy’s announcement that the chamber is ready to make supporting documents for government projects publicly accessible. The initiative aims to provide independent budget monitors greater clarity on technical descriptions, project locations, and agency validations concerning the proposed ₱7.2-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2027.
By opening these records to public scrutiny, civil society groups and taxpayers can better evaluate proposed allocations and differentiate properly vetted budget amendments from questionable entries.
Meanwhile, the proposed 2027 national budget is currently undergoing review in the Senate as lawmakers prepare for upcoming bicameral conference committee discussions with the House of Representatives.