House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Nueva Ecija 1st district Rep. Mikaela Angela "Mika" Suansing has vowed to continue the implementation of pro-transparency reforms in the deliberations of the 2027 national budget.

Suansing had this to say Monday, Aug. 17 during the start of the committee-level deliberations on the P7.2-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP) for next year.

Last year, the appropriations panel carried out budget discussions as it also rolled out major changes in the budget process.

The appropriations committee kicked off deliberations Monday with the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC). The DBCC is essentially composed of President Marcos' economic managers.

"Sinalamin po ng mga mahahalagang repormang ito ang paninindigan ng inyong Kongreso na tanggalin ang tabing sa usaping budget at talagang ipakita kung saan napupunta ang bawat piso ng buwis na mula sa dugo at pawis ng bawat Pilipino," Suansing said in her speech during the hearing with DBCC.

(These vital reforms reflect your Congress’ commitment to lift the veil on budget matters and clearly show where every peso of tax, drawn from the blood and sweat of every Filipino, is spent.)

"Ang ating mga magagandang nasimulan noong nakaraang taon, ipagpapatuloy at pagbubutihin pa po natin sa pagbuo ng budget para sa taong 2027," she said.

(The good initiatives we began last year will be continued and further improved as we craft the budget for 2027.)

The House implemented the pro-transparency reforms during the 2026 budget cycle in 2025 as a response to the flood control projects corruption scandal.

"Alinsunod sa panawagan ng ating mga kababayan na mas maging bukas ang proseso ng pagbuo ng budget, matagumpay pong sinimulan ng inyong Kongreso noong nakaraang taon ang mga mahahalagang reporma," Suansing said.

(In line with the call of our people for a more open budget process, your Congress successfully began key reforms last year.)

"We enacted a series of structural reforms that placed transparency, accountability and public participation at the center of our budget process. We abolished the 'small committee' and established the first-ever Budget Amendments Review Sub-committee (BARSc)," she recalled.

She said the BARSc’s over 20 hours of deliberations were livestreamed, and that the amendments approved were shown line by line. All committee hearings and plenary deliberations were also livestreamed.

"We enhanced engagement with civil society organizations and conducted the first-ever People’s Budget Review. For the first time in recent history, the period of amendments was opened to all House members and all amendments were incorporated before the HGAB’s second Reading approval," the ranking solon said.

"And finally, for the first time in history, the Bicameral Conference Committee proceedings were opened to the public. The bicam’s six days of deliberations were live-streamed and amendments were shown line by line," Suansing further noted.

HGAB stands for House General Appropriations Bill, or the legislative equivalent of the NEP. The NEP emanates from Malacañang, while the GAB is crafted in Congress. 

Once enacted, the GAB will turn into the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

The P7.2 trillion spending plan is the largest in the country's history.

"The House of Representatives reaffirms our commitment that we espoused last year: In this budget and in the years to come, we are bringing the Filipino people back in the center of the budget process where you rightfully belong," Suansing said.