Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said her agency would strengthen oversight and coordination with lawmakers to protect the national budget from “irregular realignments.”
Speaking at a Senate Committee on Finance hearing Monday, Pangandaman addressed concerns raised by Senator Panfilo Lacson about the Fiscal Year 2025 budget.
Lacson noted that certain parts of the budget for the Department of Education had been reduced, while funding for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was increased.
Lacson called for closer coordination between the DBM and the Legislative branch to monitor the upcoming bicameral conference for the Fiscal Year 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), citing concerns that “the biggest culprits really come in… where the scary realignments really come in.”
Pangandaman assured the public that the DBM would protect the budget and ensure it aligns with the administration’s national priorities.
“We will closely monitor the budget now,” Pangandaman said.
“While the DBM no longer has jurisdiction over the General Appropriations Bill, we will work very closely with the House Secretariat and the Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office [LBRMO] to provide real-time technical validation and to ensure that any bicam changes remain constitutional, transparent, and above all, for the betterment of our people,” she said.
She said that if any items violate the constitution or are unsupported, the DBM would “flag them, document them, and elevate our recommendations” for potential executive action, including the president’s veto power.
Pangandaman also reiterated her call for an open bicameral conference with public livestreamed hearings and a transparent record of amendments and justifications.
