Lawmakers are divided on whether or not to allow President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to sit in on the bicameral deliberations on the 2026 national budget, following the controversial 2025 budget process.

Senator-elect Panfilo Lacson on Thursday urged Marcos to assert his “persuasive powers” over Congress, particularly the House of Representatives, to prevent “self-aggrandizing insertions and pork barrel” allocations in upcoming budget hearings.

Lacson’s statement came after Marcos launched a major Cabinet revamp to address the administration’s shortcomings in public service and weed out corrupt or underperforming officials.

“More than recalibrating his administration by calling for courtesy resignations of Cabinet members, the President must exercise his persuasive powers over Congress—especially the House,” Lacson said. “The 2025 General Appropriations Act is like a deadly virus that is choking the country to perdition.”

He believes that Marcos’s direct participation in the bicameral conference committee—which reconciles the Senate and House versions of the national budget—would discourage lawmakers from prioritizing personal interests and instead craft a budget that genuinely addresses public needs.

Marcos is reportedly considering sitting in on the bicam panel to ensure that the 2026 budget aligns with his administration’s priority projects.

But House Senior Deputy Minority Leader Paul Daza warned that such a move would violate the constitutional principle of separation of powers.

“The power of the purse lies with Congress,” the Northern Samar lawmaker said. “Any executive branch official joining the budget deliberations encroaches on the principle of checks and balances.”

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro echoed Daza’s concern, saying Marcos’s presence would put undue pressure on lawmakers to follow Malacañang’s agenda rather than the people’s interests.

“The bicam is not the President’s playground. It’s where representatives and senators finalize the people’s budget without Palace interference,” Castro said. “His intervention violates checks and balances and endangers congressional independence.”

Instead, Daza proposed opening bicam sessions to the public and media to deter manipulation.

“Without public scrutiny and transparency, billions in taxpayer money meant for basic services and infrastructure will continue to go to the pork barrel,” Daza said.

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros also opposed the idea of Marcos joining the bicam, even as an observer, warning that the move may be unconstitutional and could expose him to legal action.

Reports of irregularities in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) have reportedly prompted Marcos to consider personally monitoring next year’s national budget, which is pegged at P6.793 trillion.

The 2025 GAA was cut to P6.326 trillion from the original P6.352 trillion after Marcos vetoed P194 billion in line items deemed inconsistent with his administration’s priorities.

Critics and watchdogs have challenged the legality of the 2025 GAA before the Supreme Court, citing blank line items, questionable insertions, increases, and reallocations—issues largely blamed on Congress.

Malacañang and congressional leaders have denied the irregularities.