Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Monday assured the public of tighter Executive–Legislative coordination and vigilant oversight as Congress prepares for the bicameral conference committee on the proposed 2026 national budget.

Pangandaman said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) would closely monitor bicameral proceedings to protect the people’s budget from irregular realignments and to keep spending priorities aligned with the Marcos administration’s national agenda.

“Babantayan po namin nang maigi ang budget ngayon (We will closely guard the budget this time),” Pangandaman told senators during a Senate finance panel hearing Monday.

The budget chief made the remarks to address concerns raised by Senator Panfilo Lacson on questionable realignments in past budget cycles, particularly in the 2025 budget where the education sector’s budget was overtaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways, which is now under fire for alleged anomalies in its multi-billion flood control projects.

Pangandaman said that while the DBM no longer has jurisdiction over the General Appropriations Bill once it reaches the bicameral, the agency would work with the House Secretariat and the Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office to provide real-time technical validation of proposed changes.

“If there are items that violate the Constitution or are unsupported, we’ll flag them, document them, and elevate our recommendations—consistent with the President’s veto powers and our shared commitment to good governance,” she said.

Pangandaman also reiterated her call for an open and transparent bicameral process, with livestreamed hearings and the publication of amendment matrices with justifications. (PNA)