Livestreaming is in

After so much hemming-and-hawing, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) will start next week the livestreaming of their proceedings. ICI chairman Andres Reyes Jr. announced the livestreaming of their proceedings currently held behind closed-doors. Under intense criticisms, the ICI finally relented to public demand for more transparency in their fact-finding investigations into the alleged “ghost” flood control projects initially at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Reyes, retired Supreme court associate justice, made the announcement last Wednesday at the public hearing of the Senate committee on justice and human rights amid public disillusion over the ICI’s avoiding public scrutiny of its proceedings. Ironically, the Senate public hearing dwelt on the proposed bill that seeks to create a new anti-corruption watchdog in the mold of the ICI.

The proposed legislation is authored by no less than Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III who authored Senate Bill (SB) 1215 proposing to create an Independent People’s Commission (IPC). Originally, Sotto cited, SB 1215 seeks to constitute a five-man body to serve as an investigatory and recommendatory body of all government infrastructure projects under review. As proposed in Sotto’s bill, the IPC will report its findings directly to the President and to recommend prosecution by the Department of Justice (DOJ) or by the Office of the Ombudsman.

Attending the Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum last Wednesday, Sotto explained the proposed IPC will have greater authority, not only the power to issue subpoena. Sotto added the power to cite in contempt individuals who ignore the IPC invitation and subpoena, and against anyone who refuses to cooperate with their investigation.

Also, Sotto disclosed, he will amend SB 1215 to empower the IPC to initiate by itself the prosecution of accountable government officials and private individuals, business or corporate entities found liable in any anomalous transactions involving government projects. “Even if it (IPC) will submit a report to the President and to Congress, I will clarify the intention that it may initiate prosecution,” Sotto pointed out. “We’ll try to find a good line to be able to define it properly,” he added.

SB 1215 was one of the first 10 bills that Sotto filed last July at the start of the first regular session of the 20th Congress. Sotto told us he will seek its inclusion in the common priority bills agreed upon at the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC). This is to ensure the passage into law of SB 1215 at least before the end of this year, he cited.

SB 1215 is not included in the eight bills listed in the common legislative agenda forged during the first LEDAC meeting with the new leaders of the 20th Congress. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM) convened LEDAC last Sept. 30, taking place after the changes of leadership in both chambers of Congress.

Sotto took over from erstwhile Senate president Francis “Chiz” Escudero last Sept. 8. Two weeks later, Isabela Rep. Faustino “Bojie” Dy was elected to replace ex-speaker Martin Romualdez. The leadership changes were the immediate aftermath of the multibillion-peso worth of alleged “ghost” flood control projects that were siphoned off from the annual Congress-approved budget law.

Sotto noted their House counterparts led by Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima and Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno co-authored and filed a similar House Bill last month. The House version seeks to create also a five-man Independent Commission to investigate misuse of funds for flood control and other infrastructure projects of the government. Sotto promised to convince their House colleagues to just adopt the Senate version to speed up its enactment.

Smarting from the previous Congress’ budget insertions brouhaha, Sotto reiterated the decision of the present leaderships of the 20th Congress to livestream the bicameral conference committee (bicam) meetings on the proposed 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) bill. Dubbed as the “third congress,” the bicam is tasked to reconcile the differing versions of the budget bill approved separately by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Sotto revealed an added innovation to further improve transparency will be to allow senators and congressmen to attend even if they were not designated to constitute the bicam for the GAA bill. Under existing rules of Congress, a bicam is composed of equal numbers of senators and House members.

Likewise, Sotto promised to replicate at the Senate the proposal of Navotas Rep.Toby Tiangco at the House-approved 2026 GAA bill. Tiangco recommended that the “proponents” of each congressional insertion and initiative be identified in each line-item in the GAA bill. Before they adjourned for their Undas recess last Oct.13, the Lower House approved the proposed P6.793-trillion budget for 2026 under House Bill 4058.

Although they adjourned days ahead, Sotto clarified the Senate continues with its own public hearings on the proposed 2026 GAA bill. “We will make sure any amendments by any individual or institutional amendments will be identified on who the proponent is,” Sotto vowed.

“A clean budget, to me, that is the most important piece of legislation that Congress passes every year,” Sotto stressed.

As earlier agreed during the LEDAC meeting, PBBM welcomed the livestreaming of the bicam sessions on the GAA bill to “encourage transparency” and identify who proposed what insertions or amendments in the national budget.

Also agreed during the same LEDAC meeting, Sotto disclosed PBBM informed them he would no longer “certify as urgent” the proposed 2026 GAA bill. In this way, Sotto explained, both chambers will be constrained to stick to the deadline of the budget’s enactment before the end of the fiscal year on Dec. 31.

Sotto reassured the public there will be no more “small committee” that used to have the final say on the bicam-approved budget. A veteran lawmaker of Congresses past, Tiangco denounced earlier before the ICI how this “small committee” can override the annual budget bill that was already approved by both chambers.

With livestreaming, a real-time transmission to the public of the bicam session will make our lawmakers behave while under close watch.