Budget watchdog backs Marcos order but pushes for lasting transparency law

MANILA — Budget monitoring advocates have given qualified support to Executive Order No. 126, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos last week, which institutionalizes spending oversight mechanisms within the Department of Budget and Management.

The budget watchdog group acknowledged the executive order as a positive step toward enhancing government transparency and fiscal accountability. However, the organization stressed that the measure should not serve as a replacement for comprehensive legislative action that would create more durable safeguards over public finances.

Executive orders remain subject to change with successive administrations, the advocates noted, making statutory reform essential for establishing long-term institutional frameworks. They emphasized that while the DBM's spending monitoring protocols represent an important administrative tool, only legislation passed by Congress can provide the permanence and enforceability needed for sustained transparency.

The call for legislative action underscores ongoing efforts by civil society groups to strengthen the Philippines' budget transparency systems and prevent the rollback of accountability measures through administrative action. Budget watchdogs have long advocated for formal legislative requirements governing government spending disclosure and monitoring procedures.

The Marcos administration's issuance of the executive order signals recognition of the importance of spending oversight, yet advocates view it as an interim measure that must be complemented by substantive congressional action to fully address transparency gaps in the budget system.