CO-SPONSORSHIP SPEECH
Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4: Concurrent Resolution Strengthening the National Budget Process by Adopting and Enforcing Transparency and Accountability Measures to Ensure Public Access to Information and Allow Public Participation in the Deliberations of the 2026 General Appropriations Act
August 12, 2025
Mr. President, this Representation co-authored Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4, a measure that seeks to strengthen the process of enacting the national budget through the enforcement of transparency and accountability measures, with the certainty that it is a significant initiative to promote democracy and good governance in our country.
With the permission of the principal author and sponsor of the measure, Senator Win Gatchalian, our Committee on Finance Chairperson, it is an honor to co-sponsor Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4 to manifest my full support for the immediate adoption of the same.
Ginoong Pangulo, karapatan ng ating mga kababayan na malaman ang mga detalye at proseso ng pambansang paggugol na ating isinasabatas sapagkat sila ang tunay na may kapangyarihan sa ating demokratikong pamamahala at tayo ay pawang mga kinatawan lamang. Bilang mga mamamayan, sila ay nagbabayad ng buwis na siya namang ginagamit ng ating pamahalaan para sa iba’t ibang serbisyo, programa at proyekto. Bilang kanilang mga kinatawan, tungkulin natin na siguruhin ang tapat, responsable at makabuluhang paglalaan ng pondo.
Hindi natin maikakaila na maraming tanong, haka-haka at alegasyon tungkol sa mali, makasarili at iresponsableng paglalaan at paggugol ng pondo ng pamahalaan. Subalit kadalasan, makakarating lang ito sa atensiyon ng nakakarami kapag mayroon nang mga serbisyo na hindi naipaparating sa ating mga mamayan, mga depektibong laptop na nabubunyag o tulay na bumagsak kahit hindi pa ganap na nagagamit.
Because the budget cycle is a long and complicated process involving many entities and personalities in the government, it is undeniably difficult to trace and pinpoint where the misallocation or misuse of fund should be attributed to. It is, therefore, essential that in the performance of its Constitutional duty to exercise the “power of the purse”, the Congress must observe full transparency and disclosure. Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4 proposes a proactive approach in making the budget process more democratic and participative. This will ensure responsive and responsible allocation of funds, and eliminate irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant, and unconscionable spending of public funds.
More importantly, we want to prevent unwarranted consequences of misallocation or misuse of funds – such as deprivation of health services of our people, poor quality of education of our students, delay of public services, or loss of lives of innocent persons.
Utilizing the innovation and efficiency of technology, this measure seeks to make the budget documents easily accessible to the public and to put in place mechanisms through which they can provide their observations, inputs, and proposals. Sa pamamagitan nito, masusuri mismo ng ating mga kababayan ang mga dokumentong pinag-uusapan natin sa komite at sa plenaryo.
Indeed, the national budget is not a mere document of numbers and amounts. It is redistribution of representation through participation, making our citizens involved in the process and allowing them to “own” the resulting appropriations law. It is a vital tool to achieve national development and goals; a scheme to ensure public accountability; an instrument to provide secure and prosperous life to each and every Filipino. This legislative measure is one important instrument to achieve these goals. We urge our colleagues to support its immediate adoption.
Thank you, Mr. President.