The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Monday, 11 May, opened the preparation of next year’s national budget to the public and civil society organization (CSO) observers in a bid to make the crafting of the government’s spending program more transparent and accessible.

The move comes amid controversies surrounding the allocation and alleged misuse of government funds, and follows Congress’ efforts last year to introduce greater transparency in national budget deliberations.

According to Social Watch Philippines (SWP) co-convener and University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance professor Ma. Victoria Raquiza, opening the Technical Budget Hearings (TBH) on a pilot basis is a laudable and necessary first step toward genuine budget transparency.

“We thank the DBM for listening to the growing public clamor for accountability in how the national budget is crafted,” Raquiza said.

Raquiza noted that the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP), which will serve as the basis for next year’s national budget law, is significant because DBM deliberations on agency proposals had long been conducted behind closed doors.

She added that the secrecy surrounding budget decisions had affected the strategic allocation and adequacy of funding for social protection, education, health, infrastructure, and other public services.

For SWP, the initiative is an opportunity to rebuild public confidence following controversies involving the alleged misuse of flood control funds and other questionable allocations in the national budget.

“Transparency should not begin only when the budget reaches Congress. It should start from the very beginning,” Raquiza said.

The SWP also noted that the move is consistent with Article III, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution, which guarantees the people’s right to information on matters of public concern and enables citizens to better understand how decisions are made in the national budget.

DBM Secretary Rolando Toledo said government agencies are expected to submit lower funding proposals compared with the previous P11-trillion plan, as the government has tightened vetting guidelines following controversies triggered by the flood control scandal.

Under the government’s two-tier budgeting process, ongoing expenditures are classified under Tier 1, while expanded spending proposals are evaluated under Tier 2. The TBHs for Tier 1 were conducted from February to March, while those for Tier 2 are being held from April to May.

The SWP also urged the DBM to institutionalize the practice to further strengthen government transparency measures, including the publication of budget documents in machine-readable formats throughout the budget process.