The House of Representatives on Monday released interim guidelines allowing people’s organizations (POs) and civil society groups (CSOs) to take part in national budget legislation and oversight while permanent rules or law are being prepared.

“The national budget is our clearest statement of priorities. At kapag kasama natin ang mga CSOs at POs sa pagbuo nito, mas masisiguro natin na ang bawat piso mapupunta sa tunay na pangangailangan ng bansa’t mamamayan,” Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said.

“Sa bawat pisong ilalaan sa programa’t proyekto, may kasamang partisipasyon ng mamamayan. The national budget should truly reflect the people’s dreams and aspirations,” he added.

Under Memorandum Circular No. 20-002, which operationalizes House Resolution No. 94, accredited groups may observe committee and plenary hearings, access materials presented during deliberations, file written position papers within deadlines, and present consolidated sectoral views during designated points in the process.

A Task Force on People’s Participation has been formed to oversee accreditation, circulate schedules, assist observers, and route submissions to committees. The task force is composed of the offices of the Secretary General, the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on People’s Participation, the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department, the Press and Public Affairs Bureau, and the Legislative Security Bureau.

Accredited groups will undergo an orientation covering a code of conduct, decorum inside halls and galleries, and basic security and safety protocols. Each organization may send up to two representatives, who can submit position papers within 48 hours after an agency’s budget hearing for inclusion in the record.

The guidelines also provide a simple accreditation process for CSOs and POs, whether registered or not, through a letter of intent and a basic profile of the group’s constituency and work. Livestreams and archives of budget hearings will be available through official House channels, while in-person attendance may be limited when needed.

“We are working on the most open Congress in recent memory. Sisiguruhin natin na ang Kongreso ay bukas, nakikinig at handang makipag-ugnayan, para tunay na ‘Budget of the People’ ang ating maipasa dito,” Romualdez said.

House Secretary General Reginald “Reggie” S. Velasco said the interim rules will apply for one budget cycle, after which implementation will be reviewed with civil society to refine the framework.

“The lessons learned will help us design a permanent framework for participatory budgeting, ensuring that this reform becomes a lasting feature of the House of Representatives,” Velasco said.

Romualdez emphasized that the reforms are part of efforts to build a more participatory Congress. “The budget is the people’s money and the people deserve a real voice in how it is spent,” he said.