For transparency: House OKs bill allowing civil society groups to take part in budget process

By Billy Begas

The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure that will allow civil society organizations to participate in the annual national budget process.

The proposed People’s Participation in the National Budget Process Act (House Bill 7407) will provide the mechanism to allow people’s group to join the deliberation of the budget of national government agencies including Government-Owned and Controlled Corporation.

People’s group will be allowed to propose their version of the budget and access issuances of policy orders, circulars, and memoranda that are related to the budget and to the documents prepared by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for submission to Congress by the President.

Any person who violates the proposal will be meted with one to three months suspension or a fine of P30,000 to P50,000 or both at the discretion of the court.

If the violator is the head or staff concerned, the penalty will be three to six months suspension and P50,000 to P100,000 fine or both at the discretion of the court.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)