Politics · Philippines Bureau
Senate considers parallel budget hearings to expedite 2027 spending review
The Philippine Senate is weighing a procedural change that would allow its finance committee to conduct budget hearings concurrently with plenary sessions. The move comes as lawmakers race against the clock to complete deliberations on the 2027 national expenditure program.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA – The Senate is exploring whether to permit simultaneous budget hearings and plenary sessions as it grapples with time constraints in reviewing the 2027 national budget. Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian disclosed the proposal on Thursday, signaling the chamber's push to accelerate its fiscal deliberations. The Senate finance panel would conduct its budget hearings while the full chamber carries out its regular legislative business under the proposed arrangement. The move reflects mounting pressure on lawmakers to complete their examination of the government's spending priorities within the prescribed timeframe. As of late in the week, the Senate had begun its formal deliberations on the incoming year's budget, with officials indicating that the compressed schedule necessitates more efficient use of the chamber's working hours. The simultaneous sessions approach, if approved, would allow the finance committee to process budget items more swiftly while maintaining the Senate's regular legislative calendar.