Bill seeks digital portal for budget transparency

Bill seeks digital portal for budget transparency | Daily Tribune

Following ongoing probes into alleged anomalies in the national budget, a bill has been filed seeking to institutionalize full transparency in the budget process through the creation of a centralized digital portal.

Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez has filed House Bill 6761, which proposes a transparent national budget system through the establishment of the Government Hub for Information and Verified Expenditure (G-HIVE).

Under the measure, all national budget documents — including planning, legislation, execution, procurement and audit records — would be uploaded to a secure, publicly accessible digital portal. The bill aims to address long-standing gaps in the publication, accessibility and traceability of fiscal information.

“The Philippines continues to face persistent gaps in the publication, accessibility, and traceability of national budget information. Fiscal documents are released in various formats across multiple platforms and with uneven completeness, making it difficult for citizens and oversight institutions to follow the full flow of government spending,” the bill’s explanatory note stated.

Government agencies would be required to upload expenditure-related documents within seven working days of issuance or completion, using machine-readable formats and tamper-resistant technology to ensure authenticity and prevent manipulation.

The measure also envisions greater oversight of the national budget by watchdog groups from government, civil society, media and the private sector.

G-HIVE would interface with existing financial and procurement systems and provide verified audit trails linking every stage of the budget cycle.

House Bill 6761 serves as the counterpart of Senate Bill 1506, or the Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability Act (CADENA Act), filed by Sen. Bam Aquino. The Senate bill likewise proposes a unified, tamper-resistant digital platform for full disclosure of government financial transactions.

Meanwhile, the bicameral conference committee meeting for the proposed 2026 national budget has been reset to 13 December, Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian confirmed Thursday.

Under the bicam, the House of Representatives and the Senate will finalize the General Appropriations Act for next year before it is submitted to the President for approval.