Executive session? House’s budget amendment review panel livestream delayed for hours

LOWER CHAMBER. The House of Representatives Session Hall.

House of Representatives' Facebook page

It’s been four hours since the House of Representatives’ budget amendments review subcommittee meeting was supposed to start, but there was still no livestream as of 5 pm

AT A GLANCE

• The BARSC meeting on budget amendments was delayed multiple times, raising concerns about transparency in the allocation of public funds.
• Critics, including members of the People's Budget Coalition, argue that the meeting is being conducted without proper public oversight and media access.
• The creation of BARSC was intended to enhance transparency, but the public's long wait and lack of information suggest otherwise.

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In school, at work, or even in a meeting, there’s usually a grace period for people who arrive late.

But how long is the grace period when the meeting is supposed to discuss how billions in public funds will be allocated?

The House of Representatives’ budget amendments review subcommittee (BARSC) meeting was scheduled to start at 1 pm on Thursday, October 1.

The House’s YouTube page initially indicated that the livestream would begin at 1:30 pm.

At around 2:30 pm, the schedule was pushed back again to 3 pm.

As of 5 pm, however, the livestream had yet to start.

So, what’s going on?

People’s Budget Coalition co-convener and technical adviser AJ Montesa thinks there’s an “executive session” going on.

“Where is the space for the members of the HOR (House of Representatives) who want to participate in the debate? Why are the decisions and deliberations on how to allocate Filipino taxpayers’ money only in the hands of a few members of the Appro[priations] Committee, of which there will be no public record?” Montesa told Rappler.

“Nakakagalit,” he added. (Infuriating)

Rappler asked House appropriations committee chairperson Mika Suansing for clarification on the reason for the delay and the status of the BARSC meeting. There was no response as of writing.

People’s Budget Coalition national coordinator Mary Abigail Modales also criticized the proceedings.

“This BARSC is a farce. It is censored and curated to show what they want us to see,” Modales said.

Unlike regular budget hearings, members of the media are not allowed to cover BARSC meetings in person.

Montesa said the coalition had asked the House to allow media and civil society organizations to observe the proceedings in person.

But, he said, their request was ignored.

“Easy for them to pay lip service for transparency and openness, but then the end result is they’re essentially having a small committee and just using the BARSC as a way to publicize the finished negotiations,” Montesa said.

This is not the first time civil society groups have raised concerns about being sidelined from the House’s budget deliberations.

One of the small committee members was former congressman and now fugitive Zaldy Co, who has been at the center of allegations surrounding the national budget and the multibillion-peso flood control controversy.

The creation of the BARSC was supposed to bring greater transparency to the budget amendment process.

But on Thursday, the public was left waiting for hours just so they could watch the proceedings.

A grace period might be acceptable for a late class, meeting, or workday.

But this is the national budget. This is public money. And the public is watching. – Rappler.com