Budget transparency sought

A COALITION of civil society groups on Tuesday called for the disclosure of all budget documents on the proposed P6.793-trillion national spending plan for 2026 before senators and congressmen meet for a joint panel that will finalize the budget bill.

Lawmakers should publish all the files they used in discussing the proposed budget, including budgetary tweaks and insertions, before they start the bicameral conference committee, watchdog Bantay Budget Network said.

“Secrecy in the budget process breeds corruption, patronage and abuse of power,” it said in a statement. “A democratic budget requires public scrutiny and open access to information.”

Lawmakers face pressure to boost budget transparency after a flood control corruption scandal. The House has moved to scrap its longstanding “small committee,” which previously amended the budget during second and third readings. Meanwhile, senators have promised to open bicameral budget deliberations to the public. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio