President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that the bicameral conference committee for the 2026 national budget deliberation will be livestreamed to promote transparency.
This move comes amid allegations that last-minute, closed-door budget changes have been a source of corruption and kickbacks.
Marcos said there is no longer a small committee making large changes, and the recent House budget aligns with the government’s plans.
However, he did not rule out vetoing the budget if questionable changes arise during the ongoing process.
The administration is currently facing a corruption scandal involving suspected kickbacks in flood control projects, which led to the replacement of key House and Senate leaders.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 16, 2025
