A measure institutionalizing the participation of civil society organizations (CSO) in the annual national budget process has hurdled third reading approval at the House of Representatives.
During Wednesday’s plenary session, a total of 200 lawmakers voted in favor of House Bill 7407, otherwise known as the proposed People’s Participation in the National Budget Process Act. No one voted against it or abstained from voting.
The bill aims to make the budgeting process more participatory through the involvement of grassroot organizations.
It would also allow the exercise of the people’s right to participate in public decision-making and enhance accountability in the use of taxpayers’ money in the process.
The bill mandates the Offices of the Secretary of the Senate, the Secretary General of the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court Clerk of Court, and the Office of the Chairman of the constitutional offices to process the application for accreditation of civil society organizations.
If the bill is enacted into law, an accredited CSO would have similar participation rights accorded to non-government organizations in the local development councils.
An accredited CSO can also submit its own alternative budget proposal or position paper and allow to observe at the budget deliberations and at the bicameral conference committee meetings.
The bill mandates the timely disclosure of budget documents and other related data by agencies for the CSOs to participate in the budget preparation in an informed manner.
Source: Philippines News Agency
