HOUSE STARTS HEARINGS ON P6.793-TRILLION NATIONAL BUDGET: ‘WALA TAYONG ITATAGO SA TAUMBAYAN – SPEAKER ROMUALDEZ

THE House of Representatives is set to start today, Aug 18, 2025, its hearings on the P6.793-trillion national budget President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. has proposed to Congress for next year.

On its first formal meeting, the House Committee on Appropriations will receive briefing from members of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) on the country’s economic situation and the macro-economic assumptions used by the administration in putting together its 2026 budget proposal, which is known as the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez is expected to welcome DBCC members to the House hearings, to be presided over by Appropriations panel chairperson Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela “Mika” Suansing.

The briefing will be conducted by Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan Jr., Finance Secretary Ralph Recto and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Eli Remolona Jr.

On the eve of the hearings, Speaker Romualdez reiterated his commitment that the budget deliberations would be transparent and inclusive, and would adhere to the reforms the House has decided to introduce in the budget enactment and execution process.

“We want not only to inform but to involve the public, because the national budget is the people’s money. It should benefit them all,” Speaker Romualdez said.

“Kung ang pinag-uusapan ay ang pera ng taumbayan,  dapat taumbayan din ang nakakaalam at makikinabang. Wala tayong itatago sa kanila” Speaker Romualdez said.

He said the NEP also mirrors the Bagong Pilipinas spending priorities of President Marcos.

As has been revealed by Speaker Romualdez, the House-initiated budget reforms are:

– Inviting civil society, people’s organizations and the private sector to join budget hearings. In line with this, the House leader has furnished copies of the President’s NEP to representatives several people’s organizations.

– The House will prioritize investments that truly change lives: agriculture for food security, infrastructure for connectivity and jobs, education for opportunity, health for all, and defense and disaster preparedness for national safety.

– The House will abolish the “small committee’ it formed in the past after approving the budget to collate institutional amendments to the NEP.

– The House will open to the public the House-Senate conference the two chambers convene after approving their respective versions of the national budget.

– The House will strengthen its oversight function in the execution of the budget after the President signs it into law. This exercise will require timely reports from agencies and real-time tracking of major projects.

 “Bawat pisong ginastos, dapat may katumbas na serbisyong nararamdaman ang taong bayan,” Speaker Romualdez said.