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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider House has always been in favor of budget bicam livestreaming, says Suansing

House has always been in favor of budget bicam livestreaming, says Suansing

Published Dec 9, 2025 06:09 pm

At A Glance

  • The House of Representatives has always wanted to livestream the hearings of the Bicameral Conference Committee on the proposed P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2026.
Nueva Ecija 1st district Rep. Mikaela Angela "Mika" Suansing (PPAB)
Nueva Ecija 1st district Rep. Mikaela Angela "Mika" Suansing (PPAB)


The House of Representatives has always wanted to livestream the hearings of the Bicameral Conference Committee on the proposed P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2026.
Nueva Ecija 1st district Rep. Mikaela Angela "Mika" Suansing gave this statement Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 9 amid murmurs from the Senate that the House was opposing the planned livestreaming of the proceedings.
"The House has always been very firm on our commitment to opening the Bicameral Conference Committee proceedings, more specifically livestreaming the bicam," Suansing, chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, said in a video statement.
"As early as August, even before the budget deliberations, the House leadership has already made pronouncements with regard to opening and livestreaming the bicam," she said.
"Senator Win Gatchalian and I are already talking about how to operationalize the livestreaming of the bicam," Suansing said, referring to the Senate Committee on Finance chairman and her bicam counterpart.
The lady solon further said: "Simula’t sapul ay matibay na ang paninindigan ng House of Representatives patungkol sa pagla-livestream ng bicam (From the very beginning, the House of Representatives has held a firm stance regarding the livestreaming of the bicam)."
The first House Speaker of the 20th Congress, Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez, pitched opening the bicam to the public as early as June 2025, before any of the senators did. This position was adopted by his successor, Isabela 6th district Rep. Faustino "Bojie" Dy III, who took over as Speaker last September.
The House of Representatives approved its version of the proposed 2026 national budget on third and final reading last Oct. 13.
Once the Senate approves its version of the GAB, the bicam will convene in order to reconcile and harmonize conflicting provisions, if any, between the two versions of the budget measure.
The goal is to have the President sign the proposed 2026 outlay before the end of the fiscal year. 
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