Manila, Philippines – A growing campaign called #OpenBicam is calling for the public to be allowed to watch the final budget talks between the Senate and the House of Representatives, a move that aims to make the national budget process more transparent.
The idea was first suggested by former finance undersecretary Cielo Magno, who said that the public deserves to know how lawmakers finalize the country’s budget. These discussions, called bicameral conference committee meetings, are usually done behind closed doors.
“Kailangan ng OPEN BICAM para mapalakas ang transparency at accountability ng Kongreso sa taong bayan” Magno shared in an earlier post supporting the campaign.
The bicam talks are where the Senate and House versions of the budget are merged into one final version.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Martin Romualdez is among the lawmakers who support the call for transparency. He said that opening the bicam hearings to the public, possibly through livestreaming or media coverage — is an important step in building trust.
“I support the move to make Bicameral Conference Committee discussions open to the public. This is a crucial step in restoring public trust and ensuring that the national budget truly reflects the will and welfare of the people,” Romualdez said in a statement.
He added that this move is part of broader efforts to improve transparency in government spending, and he plans to push for this reform when the 20th Congress opens in July.
As more leaders and citizens support the #OpenBicam campaign, many are hopeful that this will be the beginning of a more transparent and accountable budget process in the country. — Freda Ordinado, Contributor