Ping Lacson Backs PBBM as Observer in Budget Deliberations

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s prospective role as an observer in the bicameral deliberations on the 2026 national budget should send a “clear and strong signal” to Congress against making a mockery of the budget process.

On this note, Senator-elect Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson supported Wednesday the President’s intention to keep tabs on the budget process, including possibly sitting as an observer at the bicameral conference committee.

“As long as the President will not actively participate in the bicameral conference deliberations and just sit as an observer, lest he be misunderstood as encroaching in the time-honored tradition of the legislature’s exercise of the ‘power of the purse,’ I support such gesture as it will send a clear and very strong signal to the members of Congress not to make a mockery of our role in the budget process and that we should not treat the national budget as individual prerogatives, not aligned with the policy direction of the administration towards achieving the country’s development goals in 2026 and beyond,” Lacson said.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson, Suportado ang Pagiging Observer ni PBBM sa Budget Deliberations

Lacson, who earned a reputation as an eagle-eyed watchdog of the national budget, had lamented that the bicameral conference committee deliberating on the budget bill has become the “third and most powerful chamber” due to its lack of transparency.

Also, Lacson has repeatedly pushed for transparency in the budget process, including allowing media and the public to sit at the gallery during the bicameral conference committee’s deliberations.

“The public and the media can be at the gallery. They will not participate directly in the deliberations but at least they will know what is going on. What is happening now in the bicam is that those concerned just whisper to each other, and the public is kept in the dark,” said Lacson, who in the 18th Congress filed Senate Bill 24 encouraging people’s participation in the national budget process.

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Ping Lacson, Suportado ang Pagiging Observer ni PBBM sa Budget Deliberations

Suportado ni Senator-elect Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ang posibleng pagiging observer ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. sa bicam deliberations para sa 2026 budget, bilang malinaw na hudyat laban sa anumang kalokohan sa budget process.

Giit ni Lacson, maganda ang layunin ng Pangulo na bantayan ang proseso ng pagbalangkas ng pambansang budget, kabilang ang posibleng pag-upo bilang observer sa bicameral conference committee.

“As long as the President will not actively participate in the bicameral conference deliberations and just sit as an observer, lest he be misunderstood as encroaching in the time-honored tradition of the legislature’s exercise of the ‘power of the purse,’ I support such gesture as it will send a clear and very strong signal to the members of Congress not to make a mockery of our role in the budget process and that we should not treat the national budget as individual prerogatives, not aligned with the policy direction of the administration towards achieving the country’s development goals in 2026 and beyond,” ani Lacson.

Ikinalungkot ni Lacson, na nakilala bilang mahigpit na bantay ng kaban ng bayan, naging ikatlo at pinakamakapangyarihang chamber ang bicameral conference committee sa budget dahil sa kakulangan ng transparency nito.

Matagal nang itinutulak ni Lacson ang transparency sa proseso ng pagbuo ng budget, kabilang ang pagpayag sa publiko at media na umupo sa gallery sa deliberasyon ng bicameral conference committee.

“Nandoon sila sa gallery, hindi magpa-participate pero dapat alam nila. Hindi bulungan ng bulungan. Ang nangyayari sa bicam kasi bulong dito bulong doon, bulag ang publiko. Umabot sa puntong blangko,” ani Lacson, na nag-akda sa 18th Congress ng Senate Bill 24 na hinihikayat ang partisipasyon ng publiko sa budget process.

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