An “open” bicameral conference committee of Congress is set to convene for the last time on Wednesday to reconcile the contentious items in the proposed P6.352 trillion 2025 General Appropriations Bill.

Senator Grace Poe, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, announced this on Wednesday, less than a week before Congress adjourns for Christmas break on 18 December.

According to Poe, contingents of the bicam from both houses are welcome to ask any questions regarding the reconciled version of the 2025 GAB, which is scheduled to be approved by President Ferdinand Marcos on 19 December.

“Yes. Our colleagues are welcome to ask in the open,” she told reporters in a text message when asked about the particular setting of the plan “open bicam.”

Contentious provisions of the 2025 GAB include the P1.3 billion budget cut for the Office of the Vice President, which the Senate retained despite the attempts of some of its members.

To recall, Senator Imee Marcos, a vocal ally of the Duterte family in the chamber, revealed that at least 11 to 12 senators attempted to push for the budget augmentation for Vice President Sara Duterte’s office.

The P39 billion Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program or AKAP of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, is also one of the contentious provisions in the GAB.

AKAP, which was defunded by the Senate in their approved version of the GAB, is a House-initiated social amelioration program or 'ayuda' for at least 12 million poor and low-income families or an estimated 48 million Filipinos.