00:00Meanwhile, calls mount for stricter scrutiny of multi-billion-peso flood control funds under the proposed 2026 budget.
00:07Lawmakers and watchdogs alike stress that transparency and accountability are crucial to ensure every peso serves the people.
00:15Our Melales Moras reports.
00:17The People's Budget Coalition urged Congress to intensify its scrutiny on the funds allocated for flood control projects under the proposed 2026 national budget.
00:28The group is among a number of civil society organizations monitoring the budget deliberations in the House of Representatives.
00:35According to AJ Montesa, the coalition's advisor, now that there is heightened discussion on the alleged failed flood control projects, it is important to ensure that such failures do not happen again.
00:46Based on the data provided by the Department of Budget and Management, nearly P275 billion is allocated for flood control projects under the 2026 national expenditure program.
00:57We're not saying na bawasan siya. What we're saying is irrasyonalize siya, maybe pag-aralan siya ng mabuti.
01:03There are different civil society organizations, there are different people's organizations, people who are on the ground, halimbawa sa mga local areas na nakakarada si mismo ng flooding.
01:13And maybe mas maganda na nababantayan talaga ito, no?
01:16Yesterday, the Development Budget Coordination Committee or DBCC was first to appear before the House Committee on Appropriations for the Budget Deliberations.
01:25And tomorrow, officials from PACOR and PCSO are next to face the lawmakers.
01:30Civil society organizations are calling for broader participation in the hearings in the name of a more open and transparent budget process.
01:38Ang gusto po sana namin ay posibleng maging resource person sa mga committee hearings, posibleng mag-submit ng position papers at makarinig ng feedback mula sa committee chairs, etc.
01:48We understand na hindi kami makakaboto, but we're hoping na may chance kami magbigay ng feedback at inputs.
01:56This is supported by ACBA and Partridge's Representative Persis and Dania.
02:00He is hoping that transparency would continue all the way through the bicameral conference committee hearings.
02:05Inaasahan natin na sana magkatuluan yung Senado at Kongreso to make this budget process a truly transparent one by passing concurrent resolution number 2.
02:15In a statement, ML Partridge's Representative Laila de Lima also emphasized the importance of transparency in the budget process.
02:23She stressed, there must be no slight of hand moves in the process, especially since the entire budget is government revenue and taxpayer money.
02:30For his part, House Committee on Human Rights Chair, Bienvenido Abante Jr. said,
02:35aside from transparency, accountability must also be enforced in government.
02:40Melales Moras from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.
