BICAMERAL CONFERENCE FOR THE P6.793 TRILLION 2026 NATIONAL BUDGET SET ON DEC 13

THE Senate and the House of Representatives have agreed to start the bicameral conference for the deliberation of the proposed P6.793 trillion 2026 national budget on Saturday, December 13.

House Appropriations Committee chair and Nueva Ecija Rep. Mikaela Suansing in a statement said the schedule was a mutual decision of both chambers.

“Both Houses have mutually decided to start the bicam on Saturday (December 13) to allow time for the technical staff to prepare,” Suansing said on Thursday.

“Intensive preparations are required given that this is the first time that the bicam will be live-streamed and we would need a matrix of disagreeing provisions for the deliberations,” she added.

The bicam was originally scheduled to start on Friday, December 12. The matrix is seen to facilitate deliberations of the bicam members on the priorities in the proposed 2026 national budget.

Aside from Suansing, the House designated Deputy Speaker Kristine Singson-Meehan, Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan and Reps. Jose Alvarez, Javier Miguel Lopez Benitez, Albert Garcia, Romeo Momo Sr., Rufus Rodriguez, Jurdin Jesus Romualdo, Allan Ty, Brian Raymond Yamsuan, Maria Carmen Zamora as the House contingent to the bicam committee.

The bicam aims to finish its deliberations early next week to give the President time to review and approve the final version of the 2026 General Appropriations Bill before yearend.