How watchdogs got sidelined again in 2027 House budget talks

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LOWER CHAMBER. The House of Representatives Session Hall.

MANILA, Philippines – Civil society organizations (CSOs) flagged limited access and late notice in the House of Representatives’ deliberations on the proposed 2027 national budget.

“CSO participation in the House budget process has been repeatedly sidelined,” People’s Budget Coalition (PBC) co-coordinator Gybel Agregado said in an online briefing on Friday, September 18.

The PBC said the process fell short of the House committee on appropriations’ commitment to civil society participation, with watchdog groups given limited opportunities to engage in key budget discussions.

“Civil society felt left out of the budget process after being inbox-zoned and seen-zoned multiple times,” the PBC said.

Agregado shared that members of their coalition had sent questions related to the budget deliberations of government agencies to the House of Representatives, but they did not receive any response.