Cendaña asks House: Craft system to consider NGOs’ inputs on budget

Members of the House of Representatives share a light moment with other government officials during the ceremonial turnover of the 2026 National Expenditure Program from Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman to Speaker Martin Romualdez at the Batasang Pambansa on Wednesday, August 13, 2025. — Photo from Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos / Facebook

MANILA, Philippines — After the creation of a task force on people’s participation during budget deliberations, Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña has called on the House of Representatives to develop a mechanism where inputs made by organizations are also considered and discussed.

In an online interview on Tuesday, Cendaña said that while having civil society organizations (CSOs) monitor budget deliberations is a good initiative from the House committee on appropriations, there is still a lingering fear that these groups might be reduced to “bench warmers.”

Cendaña said that ‘HRep Memorandum Circular No. 20-002,’ which laid out the guidelines for CSO participation in the budget-making process, did not specify how these groups’ inputs would be handled.

“When we saw the guidelines, I said, ‘There is a need to improve these. This is not what we believe as genuine participation of civil society organizations,’” Cendaña told reporters in Filipino.

“First of all, it is important that they have the opportunity to speak during the budget process, because based on their current guidelines, it seems that they will be asked to just submit their position papers without a clear process on how these position papers might be considered,” he added.

Aside from this, Cendaña said the guidelines in the memorandum were completed without the provisions being vetted by lawmakers and groups.

“We would have appreciated a more thorough process in terms of vetting their proposed policy, because when the guidelines were released, these were already approved. So where is the room, the elbow room for amendments?” he asked.

Allowing third-party observers during the budget deliberations was one of the reforms sought after by the House leadership, including Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and appropriations chairperson Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Mikaela Suansing.

READ: House OKs reso opening bicam budget hearings to third-party watchers 

On Monday, after the start of the appropriations panel’s meeting on the Development Budget Coordination Committee report, the House released copies of HRep Memorandum Circular No. 20-002 signed by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.

The circular created a House Task Force on People’s Participation (TFPP) in Budget Deliberations, which will serve as the primary liaison between the House Secretariat and CSOs. It also laid down guidelines for accreditation and participation during the budget-making process.

READ: House creates task force on people’s participation for budget talks Litmus test

Cendaña also pointed out that during the first budget briefing, CSO representatives were initially allowed inside the Batasang Pambansa complex’s plenary hall to observe the proceedings. But when the hearing was moved to the Romualdez Hall to make way for the House session, CSOs were no longer allowed inside due to space constraints.

“This whole budget process will be a confidence-building process because we need to rebuild the confidence and trust of the people on the budget process […] But during the initial implementation yesterday, we were unsatisfied in terms of the pursuit of genuine transparency and participation,” he said.

“They (CSOs) were recognized during the start of the process at the session hall, but when we transferred to the Romualdez hall, they were the first to go – the civil society organizations. They were told — though we have yet to confirm this — that this is because of limited space […] So and that only reinforces my fears that they might be reduced to bench warmers,” he added.

Aside from allowing CSOs and people’s organizations to monitor the budget deliberations, Suansing previously said there would be a People’s Budget Review — a one-day meeting with the groups to get their insights on the proposed 2026 budget.

READ: Suansing assures earlier budget hearing sked won’t affect reforms 

While this is another welcome development, Cendaña said that a single day might not be enough.

Still, Cendaña believes Suansing’s panel will be open to changes to make the hearings more transparent and inclusive towards third-party observers.

“While we appreciate these initiatives from the committee on appropriations to provide that People’s Budget Review, one day for the CSOs to present their feedback and comments on the budget — but we know that the budget is a very dynamic piece of legislation, right? […] So one day will not be enough. It has to be a constant presence,” Cendaña said.

“But with what happened yesterday, I think the committee on appropriations will be more open towards being responsive to our calls,” he added.

Calls for reforms into the budget-making process came after concerns were raised about the 2025 national budget, due to alleged blank items in the bicameral conference report, to claims of last-minute insertions that went to flood control projects.

During his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. condemned government officials and contractors who allegedly earned kickbacks from flood control projects.

He also warned members of both the House and the Senate that he would not sign any proposed national budget that would not be aligned with the administration’s programs — even if it results in a reenacted budget.

In response to Marcos’ concerns, Romualdez and Suansing said they will push to open bicameral conference committee meetings between the House and the Senate for public scrutiny, and call for greater public participation in the budget-making process.

Aside from these, the two House officials also said the practice of creating small committees — a panel composed of select House officials that would deliberate amendments even after the budget bill has been approved — will be stopped. /apl