MANILA—The Senate has unanimously signed and filed Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4 aimed at strengthening the national budget process by embedding strict transparency and accountability safeguards.

Senator Win Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, said the measure seeks to ensure that “every peso is protected, properly spent, and aligned with the nation’s true priorities.”

The resolution mandates the publication of all budget-related documents—including agency-submitted forms, public hearing records, bicameral conference committee proceedings, and the final version of the General Appropriations Bill—on the official websites of both the Senate and House of Representatives before being transmitted to the President.

“This will be the ‘golden age of transparency and accountability.’ Bilang Finance Committee chairman, hindi ako papayag ng anumang insertion sa budget. I will also make sure that we will be very strict when it comes to confidential funds,” Gatchalian said.

He added that technological innovations now allow for centralized, accessible, and searchable platforms for budget data, aligning with the principles of open government and digital governance.

“Such transparency reform will enable an informed public to push for accountability on the use of public funds,” Gatchalian said.