Senator Win Gatchalian said the Senate has unanimously signed and filed Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4 seeking to fortify the national budget process by institutionalizing strict transparency and accountability measures to ensure that every peso is protected, properly spent, and aligned with the nation’s true priorities. 

The concurrent resolution mandates the uploading of all budget-related documents on the Senate and House websites – from agency-prepared forms and public hearings to the Bicameral Conference and final General Appropriations Bill — before submission to the President. 

“This will be the ‘golden age of transparency and accountability.’ Bilang Finance Committee chairman, hindi ako papayag ng anumang insertion sa budget. I will also make sure that we will be very strict when it comes to confidential funds,” the lawmaker said.

“Existing technological innovations now allow for centralized, accessible, and searchable platforms for budget data that are responsive to the principles of open government and digital governance,” said Gatchalian, noting that all budget-related documents are currently not easily accessible.

“Such transparency reform will enable an informed public to push for accountability on the use of public funds,” he added.