President Marcos said the government will begin livestreaming bicameral conference committee (bicam) deliberations on the proposed 2026 national budget to ensure transparency and accountability in the legislative process.

Marcos said this after the House of Representatives approved its version of the proposed P6.7-trillion 2026 budget this week.

In an interview following the oath-taking of newly elected officers of the Malacañang Media Group, the President said the decision was reached in consultation with Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Faustino Dy III.

“I intend to livestream the bicam,” he said on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

“I have the agreement of the Senate President and the Speaker na ganun ang gagawin natin (that we will do that). We will live-stream the entire process so that if there are questionable insertions or additions, it will also be clear who made those changes,” he added.

Marcos said the move aims to restore public confidence in the budget process by making all discussions open and transparent.

“It will all be out in the open,” he said, noting that the bicam is “actually a public hearing,” but in previous years, parts of it were conducted behind closed doors through a small committee.

President Marcos said he sees no reason to veto the proposed 2026 national budget, expressing confidence that the version approved by the House of Representatives remains consistent with his administration’s national development plan.

“Wala naman akong nakita na humihiwalay doon sa plano ng national government (I have not seen anything that departs from the national government’s plan),” he said.

He noted that the Executive Branch had been directly involved in the budget’s preparation to ensure that all items—such as farm-to-market roads and school buildings—are aligned with the government’s social and economic development priorities.

“I have been involved, in detail, in the preparation, especially in the House budget. As far as we have examined, there are no projects or items outside the development plan of the Philippines,” he added.

With this, Marcos said he is “fairly confident” a presidential veto will not be necessary, but clarified that the process is not yet over, as the Senate and the bicameral conference committee will still review the measure.

“Hindi pa tapos ang proseso. Dadaan pa sa Senado, dadaan pa sa bicam at titiyakin natin na ganun pa rin ang sinusundan (The process is not yet over. It will still go through the Senate and the bicam, and we will make sure the same standards are followed),” he said.

The President also confirmed that the traditional “small committee” — an ad hoc body that used to finalize amendments after the bicam — has been abolished.

He said the decision was reached jointly with congressional leaders to ensure that all budget adjustments are deliberated publicly rather than privately.

“There is no more small committee… so that people will know who made those changes or who proposed those changes,” he said.