Support for the call to publicly open the Bicameral Conference Committee deliberations on the national budget is beginning to snowball in the House of Representatives.

This, after Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre and Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. bared their concurrence with former House Speaker, Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez's push for an #OpenBicam.

''I think it resonates well with many of the members of Congress,” Acidre said of Romualdez's suggestion in a press conference Wednesday, July 2.

“Kaya po ako, buo ang suporta natin sa panawagang maging transparent, accountable, at bukas ang proseso ng Bicameral Conference Committee sa kadahilanang ito ay pamamaraan para mas maintindihan ng ating mga kababayan ang kabuuan ng proseso ng pagpapanday ng mga batas at polisiya natin,” he said.

(That’s why I fully support the call for transparency, accountability, and openness in the Bicameral Conference Committee proceedings because this is a way for our fellow citizens to better understand the entire process of crafting our laws and policies.)

Romualdez had suggested livestreaming as a way for the public to access the bicam hearigns on the budget measure, which had always been held behind closed doors by House members and senators.

''All [deliberations] should be open to the public, especially the most primarily important legislation, which is the budget. Talaga namang dapat open yan sa publiko, including the bicam (That should really be open to the public, including the bicam),'' Garbin said in an interview with House reporters on Tuesday, July 1.

The national budget, embodied in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA), ir arguably the most important legislation in Congress.

Both Acidre and Garbin also gave positive responses to proposals to make the bicam hearings of all bills accessible by the public.

''I totally agree. As I've said, it inside our Constitution, sinasabi naman talaga ng Saligang Batas na lahat ng bagay that affects public interest, ay dapat bukas yan sa ating publiko (The Constitution really says everything that affects public interest should be opened to the public),'' said Garbin, a lawyer.

Acidre noted that open bicam deliberations would help Filipinos better understand how laws and policies are finalized, especially since the bicameral process is often where significant changes happen out of public view.

He says greater transparency at this stage could be a game changer in the way governance, particularly in legislation, is being conducted.

4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Nonoy Libanan, the minority leader during the previous 19th Congress, has also expressed support for the #OpenBicam initiative. 

Asked how the reform could be implemented, Acidre said the most practical and immediate approach would be through a formal House resolution rather than revising the chamber’s rules.

“Initially, the fastest way to go about this, in my opinion, is really to pass a resolution,” said the assistant majority leader of the 19th Congress.

“Kasi normally, kung House rules, medyo hindi kaagad-agad nababago (Because normally, House rules can't be changed that easily). But for this to be really immediate, we are hoping and seriously thinking of filing a resolution proposing and institutionalizing open deliberations at the bicameral conference level, he explained.