Marcos orders livestreaming of 2026 budget deliberations for transparency

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. announced that the bicameral conference committee meetings for the 2026 national budget will be livestreamed to promote transparency.

This decision, made in agreement with Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy III, aims to eliminate the practice of a "small committee" making changes behind closed doors.

Speaker Dy stated that livestreaming the bicameral deliberations on the proposed P6.793-trillion 2026 national budget aligns with his long-held commitment to accountability and transparency.

He added that the establishment of the Budget Amendment and Revision Subcommittee (BARSc) in the lower chamber already reflects this move towards more open and transparent budget hearings.

Marcos stated that livestreaming the entire process will clarify who proposes budget amendments, potentially curbing corruption.

The move follows Marcos' order to investigate a multibillion-peso flood control scam, which has prompted scrutiny of congressional realignments during final budget deliberations.