MANILA – The House of Representatives opened its review of the proposed PHP7.2-trillion national budget for 2027 to civil society organizations (CSOs), emphasizing the need for public participation in decisions on how taxpayers’ money is allocated and spent.

The House Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing, conducted the second cycle of the People’s Budget Review at Villar Hall, where representatives from 13 CSOs presented their concerns, priorities and recommendations on the proposed spending plan.

The participating organizations were Bitag Media Unlimited Inc.; Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO); Center of Youth Advocacy and Networking (CYAN); Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance; GoodGovPH; IBON Foundation; Makati Business Club; Move As One Coalition; People’s Budget Coalition; Philippine Association of Agriculturists Inc.; Task Force Mapalad National Peasant Federation (TFM); REID Foundation; and SafeTravelPH Mobility Innovations Organization.

Senior Vice Chairperson and Bataan Rep. Albert “Abet” Garcia, who led the activity with other committee vice chairs, said the exercise was intended to go beyond examining figures and proposed allocations.

“Today is more than a discussion of figures and allocations. It is a reaffirmation of a principle at the heart of democracy: the national budget belongs to the people, and therefore the people must have a voice in shaping it,” Garcia said.

Garcia said the House has been working to institutionalize citizen participation in the budget process through House Resolution No. 94 and subsequent memorandum circulars establishing mechanisms for CSO involvement in budget legislation and oversight.

“This People’s Budget Review is proof of that commitment — a living mechanism for transparency, accountability, and partnership,” Garcia said.

He also cited reforms implemented during the previous budget cycle, including the creation of the Budget Amendments and Review Subcommittee and the livestreaming of its proceedings, as well as those of the Bicameral Conference Committee.

According to Garcia, these measures were intended to give the public greater access to the congressional budget process.

He said the proposed Philippine Budgeting Code would further institutionalize stakeholder participation by requiring consultations with CSOs, academic institutions and local development councils.

The proposed code would also expand access to open budget data and citizen-friendly documents and establish a bottom-up budgeting process in which proposed projects originate from local planning mechanisms.

“This prevents arbitrary insertions and guarantees responsiveness to real community needs,” Garcia said.

Lawmakers participating in the review also discussed the concerns raised by CSO representatives and committed to bring relevant issues and recommendations to concerned national government agencies during plenary deliberations on the 2027 budget.

Garcia said stronger public participation would reinforce, rather than weaken, the role of elected institutions by allowing Congress to consider the actual experiences and priorities of communities in making budget decisions.

“Ultimately, people’s participation is not about diminishing the role of elected institutions. It is about enriching decision-making with the lived experiences, insights, and aspirations of our communities. It is about building a budget process that is transparent, participatory, accountable, and truly responsive to the needs of every Filipino,” he said.

“As we begin today’s review, let us embrace this engagement not as a one-time consultation, but as part of a continuing partnership between Congress and the people. Together, we can ensure that every peso in the national budget is spent with merit, with purpose, and with the people at its core.”