Civil society role in budget pushed

CONGRESS should let civil society groups have a greater say in the national budget process, a coalition of non-government organizations said on Monday.

Allowing civil groups to sit in on House and Senate budget hearings would ensure that the perspectives of marginalized sectors would be taken into consideration in crafting the annual spending plan, helping align public funds to the nation’s needs, a coalition of more than 100 organizations said in a joint statement published on Social Watch Philippines’ Facebook page.

“Despite the Constitutional mandate for people’s participation in governance, the current budget process remains largely exclusive, with civil society participation often relegated to token consultations,” they said.

Lawmakers should consider making bicameral conference committee discussions on the national budget more transparent by streaming its meetings via popular social media websites, while also providing a matrix outlining the changes made by the joint congressional panel. 

Most bicameral conference committee meetings, where senators and congressmen reconcile conflicting provisions of their bills, are held behind closed doors. Lawmakers have previously signified their willingness to hold bicameral conference committee meetings open to the public.

Budget proceedings last year were criticized after the bicameral panel increased unprogrammed funds fourfold to more than P500 billion, aside from blank line-items, fueling concerns that the budget was tweaked after Congress ratified it. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio