Event Summary
In preparation for the Bi-Cameral Conference on the General Appropriations Act for the 2026 National Budget, scheduled for 12-14 December 2025, significant strides for greater budget transparency and civil society participation have been achieved.
- On 15 October 2025, President Marcos announced that the Bi-Cameral Conference will be livestreamed to enable participation of the public.
- Accompanying this unprecedented move, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4 has set forth the establishment of a Budget Transparency Portal, a demand that has been hard-fought by a diverse coalition of budget watchdogs and civil society for decades.
- To enshrine and expand budget transparency reforms, the Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability Act (CADENA Act) was filed by Senator Bam Aquino that shall mandate public disclosure of public financial management documents in all stages from preparation, legislation, execution, and accountability.
Despite these marked improvements in budget transparency, several long-standing shortcomings highlighted remain and require the continued scrutiny by civil society organization. These include cuts to rights-based social protection programs and the allocation of large funds in areas marred by corruption and a lack of civil society oversight such as confidential and intelligence funds and large-scale patronage-driven ayuda programs. Budget watchdogs and CSOs have already flagged these questionable budget and have cultivated a productive working relationship with the Senate to more effectively ensure that spaces for corruption can be reduced, that budget priorities reflect the priorities of the Filipino people, and that transparency and civil society participation is ensured in budget decisions.