SEN. Panfilo Lacson wants budget proceedings streamed to the public even when deliberations are suspended, warning that session breaks could open the door to backroom bargaining and questionable budget insertions.
Lacson urged lawmakers to minimize suspensions during bicameral deliberations, saying the public should be able to monitor discussions, including exchanges that take place outside formal proceedings.
“When the budget bill reaches the bicam, as what happened last year, there were many suspensions where lawmakers were whispering in a corner, away from the cameras. So I'd like to propose that the cameras keep rolling even during a suspension of the proceedings so the public will know what is being discussed,” Lacson said in an interview with DWIZ radio on Saturday.
“Suspensions should be avoided because they allow opportunities for whispering and bargaining. Suspensions should be made so lawmakers can answer the call of nature, not to engage in whispered discussions,” he added.
The bicameral conference committee reconciles differences in the budget bill passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives before the final measure is ratified by both chambers.
Lacson’s proposal comes as the Senate scrutinizes the House-approved P7.2-trillion national budget for 2027, with senators expected to review billions of pesos in realignments and restore funding for programs they consider essential.
The House approved its version of the General Appropriations Bill on third and final reading on Oct. 12, incorporating about P116 billion in amendments to the proposed spending plan. These included additional funding for social assistance and infrastructure, while other programs faced reductions.
Lacson has vowed to scrutinize the House’s adjustments, particularly cuts to foreign-assisted projects and additional allocations for flood control projects, which he has identified as areas requiring closer examination. Senate finance committee chairman Sen. JV Ejercito has also cited substantial realignments that warrant review.
Lacson said the Senate would play a crucial role in scrutinizing the proposed 2027 national budget, adding that senators were fully supporting Ejercito in reviewing the spending plan.
He also welcomed the timing of the Supreme Court’s ruling declaring certain provisions of the 2024 and 2025 national budgets unconstitutional, rejecting claims that the high court had encroached on Congress’ constitutional authority over the national budget.
“It is clear that when there is grave abuse of discretion, the Supreme Court can step in because it has the mandate to interpret the law. If it sees grave abuse of discretion, it can act as the check-and-balance mechanism,” he said.
Lacson also suggested redirecting savings from proposed cuts to the budgets of the Senate and the House to help fund government preparations for the looming super El Niño and other urgent priorities.
He said the Senate could cut as much as P2 billion from its proposed 2027 budget, while the House could forgo its plan to add P5 billion to its own allocation.
The combined savings of up to P7 billion could help address funding gaps in health, education and other essential services, particularly those affected by budget insertions, Lacson said.
“A projected P7 billion could mitigate the needs that the government could not immediately address, especially now that El Niño is coming. Even the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management fund had been slashed. We need to add funds for it,” he said.
The proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program originally included P45.67 billion for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, up from P39.82 billion in the 2026 national budget. However, the House reduced some disaster-related appropriations, prompting calls for closer scrutiny of the adjustments.
