PCO: Marcos won’t sit in budget bicam – BusinessWorld Online
PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. will not sit as part of bicameral proceedings for next year’s budget, the palace clarified on Thursday.
“He will not definitely sit during the Bicam meeting, this is just an expression to show to the people that he will keep an eye on the national budget for 2026,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire B. Castro told a media briefing on Thursday.
“The budget should base on the priorities of the government, and it should prioritize the projects of the government.”
Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman on Tuesday said Mr. Marcos is keen on keeping an eye out for the budget, noting that should it be deemed necessary, the President will “sit in the Bicam.”
A lawmaker said Mr. Marcos should have no role in the government’s budgeting process amid a controversial spending plan it approved last year.
In a statement on Thursday, House Deputy Minority Leader and Party-list Rep. France L. Castro said that Mr. Marcos should have no role in the finalization of the proposed national budget, as it could undermine the separation of powers between government branches.
“The bicameral conference committee is a responsibility of the legislature — it should not be interfered with or attended by the President,” she said in Filipino.
“The presence of Mr. Marcos or any representative of the executive in the bicameral imposes unnecessary pressure and threatens the freedom of lawmakers to decide based on the interests of the people.”
The Philippines’ P6.326-trillion budget this year faces legal challenges due to unresolved issues due to allegations of mismanaged allocations and shady maneuvers in its drafting last year.
In December, Mr. Marcos signed into law the 2025 budget but vetoed P194 billion worth of line items that he said were inconsistent with his government’s priorities. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
