Intentar ORO - Gratis

House reaffirms commitment to open budget bicam hearings

Manila Bulletin

December 12, 2025

The House of Representatives has reaffirmed its commitment to an open bicameral process on the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or the proposed national budget for 2026.

- By ELLSON QUISMORIO

This was formalized after the chamber adopted during plenary session Wednesday night, Dec. 10 House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) No. 8, which provided for the livestreaming of the upcoming Bicameral Conference Committee hearings on the GAB.

House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III (Isabela, 6th District), Majority Leader Sandro Marcos (Ilocos Norte, 1st District), Minority Leader Marcelino "Nonoy” Libanan (4Ps Party-list), and Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Mikaela Angela "Mika" Suansing (Nueva Ecija, 1st District) jointly authored the measure.

Deputy Speaker La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega, the presiding officer at that time, declared the measure as adopted after a simple voice vote (ayes vs. nayes).

The bicam hearings between the House of Representatives and the Senate on the 2026 outlay will begin Friday, Dec. 12.

Back in June, the first House Speaker of the 20th Congress, Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez, pitched for opening the bicam to the public. This position was adopted by his successor, Dy, who took over as speaker last September.

Esta historia es de la edición December 12, 2025 de Manila Bulletin.

Suscríbete a Magzter GOLD para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9000 revistas y periódicos.

¿Ya eres suscriptor? Iniciar sesión

MÁS HISTORIAS DE Manila Bulletin

Ver todo

Manila Bulletin

Lady solons launch 6th 'garage sale for a cause'

Members of the Association of Women Legislators Foundation Inc. (AWLFI) are holding once again a \"garage sale for a cause\" at the House of Representatives.

1 min

December 12, 2025

Manila Bulletin

World Bank expects slower poverty drop

Poverty in the country is projected to keep falling in the coming years as the economy creates more and better-paying jobs, though the decline is expected to be slower than pre-pandemic gains, the Washington-based World Bank (WB) said.

2 mins

December 12, 2025

Manila Bulletin

BSP cuts rates amid economic slump

While the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) cannot directly address flood-control graft, the central bank chief said its latest interest rate reduction in the ongoing monetary easing is expected to support the crestfallen economy, which has been hit by a spending slump and dampened investor confidence.

2 mins

December 12, 2025

Manila Bulletin

Infra corruption risks big-ticket projects

The economic team of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has cautioned that the flood-control corruption scandal may slow down progress on the much-touted Build Better More (BBM) infrastructure program.

2 mins

December 12, 2025

Manila Bulletin

Jing Quan is China's new envoy to PH

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma.Theresa Lazaro welcomed Chinese Ambassador-designate Jing Quan, who arrived in Manila over the weekend.The DFA chief welcomed Jing in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

1 min

December 12, 2025

Manila Bulletin

DBCC flags ballooning military pensions

The Marcos Jr. administration's economic team has once again flagged the fiscal risks arising from the ballooning pension of military and uniformed personnel (MUP), which, if left unaddressed, would impact not only the national coffers but also the pensioners themselves.

2 mins

December 12, 2025

Manila Bulletin

PAF opens advanced flight simulator facility in Cebu

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) brought its training system a step closer to international standards with the opening of its first two-in-one Full Motion Flight Simulator (FMFS) and dedicated training facility at Brigadier General Benito N. Ebuen Air Base in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on Wednesday, Dec. 10.

1 mins

December 12, 2025

Manila Bulletin