Bicam finally seals P6.793-T 2026 national budget after marathon hearings

National

AFTER nearly a week of tense negotiations, the bicameral conference committee finally completed the consolidation of the proposed P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026, bringing to a close one of the most scrutinized budget exercises in recent years.

In a report by Manila Bulletin, the bicam adjourned at 2:22 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18, ending six days of deliberations marked by uncertainty, public pressure, and heated debate over infrastructure spending.

The House of Representatives and Senate panels reconciled their differing versions of the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) in the early hours of the morning, signaling a breakthrough after talks repeatedly stalled over the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Rep. Mikaela Angela “Mika” Suansing, chair of the House Committee on Appropriations, led the House contingent, while Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, headed the Senate panel.

This year’s bicam proceedings stood out not only for their length but also for their unprecedented openness. For the first time, hearings that were traditionally conducted behind closed doors were livestreamed, reflecting lawmakers’ efforts to reassure a public wary of alleged irregularities in government spending, particularly in flood control and infrastructure projects.

Gatchalian hailed the conclusion of the talks as a milestone, saying lawmakers were able to reconcile all conflicting provisions and produce a budget he described as responsive to the needs of Filipinos.

He stressed that the final version sets a new benchmark for transparency, emphasizing assurances that overpriced and corruption-tainted projects have been weeded out.

Suansing echoed the sentiment, noting that the unusually long bicam process was deliberate. She said the six-day stretch—from Dec. 13 to the early hours of Dec. 18—reflected lawmakers’ determination to ensure that the budget is clean, credible, and worthy of public trust, even if it meant moving slower than in previous years.(Xienderlyn Trinidad, USJ-R Comm Intern)