Members of both houses of Congress should take their cue from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “Mahiya naman kayo” pronouncement in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) regarding anomalies in the government’s flood control programs and in the national budget.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed this on Tuesday even as he said the President’s order to inventory flood control programs to see which are failures and ghost projects – as well as finding anomalous items in the budget bill – may be “tedious but workable.”
“The President capped his SONA with a pronouncement that he knows will hit his audience – that’s us lawmakers… The pronouncement that those involved in anomalies in the flood control programs and the national budget should be ashamed should cut to the bone. Those who don’t feel any shame would simply be bad to the bone,” he said in an interview on DZBB radio.
In Filipino: Ping Lacson sa Kapwa Mambabatas: Bigyang Pansin ang Patama ng Pangulo sa SONA Tungkol sa Budget at Flood Control
In his SONA Monday, the President said his inspection of the effects of recent cyclones and the southwest monsoon showed many flood control projects were either failures or ghost projects, likely due to kickbacks and other forms of corruption.
He ordered the listing of all flood control projects in the last three years, and the reporting to the public of failed, unfinished, and alleged ghost projects, with those responsible to be charged.
As for the 2026 budget, the President said he will return any proposed General Appropriations Bill not fully aligned with the National Expenditure Program, “even if we end up with a reenacted budget.”
Lacson gave the President “very high marks” for his SONA, for acknowledging at the start of his address the frustrations of the people as shown in the results of the May 2025 midterm elections; baring his plans for the next three years; and capping his SONA with warnings against anomalies in the budget and in flood control programs.
“As I said, my favorite quote from the SONA was ‘Mahiya naman kayo’,” he said.
Lacson said the President’s pronouncement may be a chance for lawmakers to explain to their constituents that they can no longer augment funds for their projects, after the President said he will not sign a budget bill that does not fully align with the National Expenditure Program. He also warned that there are dangers in having a reenacted budget especially with the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which was full of anomalies as it was “mangled beyond recognition.”
Still, Lacson said it is also tedious but possible to find anomalous items. In some cases, he said funds are allocated to “studies” that may last several years without showing results.
“So I just hope both houses of Congress get the cue not to play around with the budget,” he said.
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Ping Lacson sa Kapwa Mambabatas: Bigyang Pansin ang Patama ng Pangulo sa SONA Tungkol sa Budget at Flood Control
Dapat bigyang pansin ng miyembro ng parehong kapulungan ng Kongreso ang patama ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na “Mahiya naman kayo” – tungkol sa katiwalian sa flood control programs at sa pambansang budget – sa kanyang State of the Nation Address (SONA) noong Lunes.
Iginiit ito nitong Martes ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, na nagsabing ang utos ng Pangulo para gumawa ng inventory ng flood control programs at paghanap ng anomalya sa panukalang budget ay “tedious but workable.”
“Kinap niya ang kanyang SONA na may babala ang alam niyang tinatamaan ang audience niya mismo, na nasa harapan niya. Kami, kaming lahat… Yan talab talaga sa buto yan. Pag di pa naman tinablan ang mga senador at saka mga kongresista, e talagang sagad na rin talaga sa buto na hindi nahihiya,” aniya sa panayam sa DZBB.
Sa kanyang SONA nitong Lunes, sinabi ng Pangulo na lumabas sa pagsusuri niya sa epekto ng bagyo at habagat na maraming flood control projects ay palpak o ghost projects, at malamang ay may bahid ng kickback at ibang uri ng korapsyon.
Inutos ng Pangulo ang paglista ng flood control projects sa nakaraang tatlong taon, at pagsasapubliko ng kung ano rito ang palpak o ghost projects – kung saan kakasuhan ang mga sangkot.
Para naman sa 2026 budget, sinabi ng Pangulo na hindi siya pipirma sa budget na hindi susunod sa National Expenditure Program, kahit na ang ibig sabihin nito ay mare-reenact ang budget.
Mataas na marka ang ibinigay ni Lacson sa Pangulo sa kanyang SONA, dahil kinilala niya ang “frustrations” ng mamamayan, at inanunsyo niya ang kanyang plano sa huling tatlong taon ng administrasyon niya, bago tinapos ang SONA na may babala laban sa anomalya sa budget at flood control program.
“Ang sabi ko nga, ang favorite quote ko from the SONA, ‘mahiya naman kayo’,” ani Lacson.
Dagdag ni Lacson, ang mga binanggit ng Pangulo ay maaaring magbigay ng pagkakataon sa mambabatas na ipaliwanag sa kanilang mga constituent na hindi na nila ma-realign ang pondo para sa kanilang proyekto – matapos sabihin ng Pangulo na hindi niya pipirmahin ang budget na hindi alinsunod sa NEP. Nagbabala din siya na may panganib sa pagkakaroon ng reenacted budget lalo na kung ito ay ang 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) na may maraming anomalya dahil ito ay “mangled beyond recognition.”
Sa kabila nito, iginiit ni Lacson na posible pa ring makakita ng anomalya sa budget, kung pagtitiyagaan. May mga kaso na ang mga pondo ay nasa “studies” na magtatagal ng ilang taon pero wala namang resulta.
“So I just hope ang cue makuha ng Kongreso, both houses, na huwag na natin masyadong kalikutin,” ani Lacson.
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