Manila: A Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Public Expenditures will be created to closely monitor budget utilization and project implementation, particularly infrastructure projects, as government agencies enter the spending phase of the 2026 national budget, Senate Committee on Finance chairperson Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said on Wednesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Gatchalian mentioned in an interview during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay that the creation of the oversight body is mandated under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) but has not been implemented in previous years. He noted that although it is not a new concept, the committee will be formed in the coming days to address ongoing issues.

Gatchalian stated that the committee's focus will be on the underutilization of agency budgets and the execution of infrastructure and other projects once funds have been approved. He emphasized the need to address the perennial problem of budget utilization and underutilization within government agencies.

Additionally, the oversight body will examine how projects are incorporated into the National Expenditure Program (NEP), with particular attention to the bottom-up process intended to reflect the priorities of local government units (LGUs) and communities. This review aims to prevent questionable project insertions during the congressional budget process and ensure that community and LGU proposals are properly reflected before the NEP is submitted.

Gatchalian highlighted the importance of monitoring the implementation stage now that the budget process is complete. The oversight committee will be jointly constituted with the House of Representatives and will be co-chaired by the chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Appropriations.