Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Wednesday scored an early win in his efforts to ensure transparency in the budget process, after he set two demands to which Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian agreed.
Following a “solution-finding discussion” Wednesday morning, Lacson said Gatchalian agreed to name the proponents of the amendments on the floor, to put it on record.
“We agreed that when any of our colleagues will seek clarification on particular insertions or realignments or amendments, then the chairman of the finance committee will divulge the identity or identities of the proponents of the amendments on the floor, to make it of record,” Lacson said in his manifestation during the discussion of amendments to Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4, which aims to ensure transparency in deliberations for the 2026 budget.
In Filipino: Lacson, Iginiit ang Full Transparency Mula sa Mga Mambabatas sa mga Amyenda sa Badyet
Gatchalian added he agreed as well to divulge the history and justifications of the amendments.
“This is part of the committee report, then that means the chairman of the finance committee has already reviewed, analyzed, and made sure that those amendments are well-justified. So the chairman of the committee on finance can elaborate and also reveal the history of those changes, because as your chairman I have to justify those changes in the committee report. Meaning I have to study very well the justifications and the history of the proposed amendments,” Gatchalian said.
Gatchalian had also agreed to upload online the details of movements in the budget particularly within the Senate, before the committee report and the approval of the second reading. He also appealed to fellow lawmakers who will propose amendments to assist the finance committee in looking for sources of funding for such amendments.
Also, Gatchalian said that in between the committee report and the approval of the second reading, senators will get a chance to look at the movements between the General Appropriations Bill and the committee report, and ask questions on the augmented budget of some agencies and the deducted budget of others.
“So this is a time for our members to propound questions and during that time we can elaborate the justification on why those budget movements happened,” he said.
“I agreed to the proposal, as well as the agreement made by the distinguished sponsor because the outcome is the same. It is for transparency,” Lacson said.
On Tuesday, Lacson pushed for full budget transparency by making public the proponents of insertions and realignments in the budget bill, regardless of “complexities.” He said this is to make the proponents answerable for flood control and infrastructure projects that turn out to be substandard or ghost works.
Without such transparency, he said Senate Concurrent Resolution 4 will not achieve its purpose of ensuring transparency in deliberations for the 2026 budget.
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Lacson, Iginiit ang Full Transparency Mula sa Mga Mambabatas sa mga Amyenda sa Badyet
Nakakuha ng maagang tagumpay si Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Miyerkules sa kanyang pagsusumikap na tiyakin ang pagiging bukas ng proseso ng badyet, matapos niyang maglatag ng dalawang kundisyon na tinanggap ni Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman ng Senate Committee on Finance.
Matapos ang “solution-finding discussion” nila nitong Miyerkules ng umaga, sinabi ni Lacson na pumayag si Gatchalian na pangalanan sa plenaryo ang mga nagpanukala ng mga amyenda upang maisama ito sa opisyal na tala.
“We agreed that when any of our colleagues will seek clarification on particular insertions or realignments or amendments, then the chairman of the finance committee will divulge the identity or identities of the proponents of the amendments on the floor, to make it of record,” pahayag ni Lacson sa kanyang manifestation sa pagtalakay sa pag-amyenda sa Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4, na layong tiyakin ang pagiging bukas sa deliberasyon para sa badyet ng 2026.
Dagdag ni Gatchalian, pumayag din siyang ilahad ang kasaysayan at mga dahilan sa likod ng mga amyenda.
“This is part of the committee report, then that means the chairman of the finance committee has already reviewed, analyzed, and made sure that those amendments are well-justified. So the chairman of the committee on finance can elaborate and also reveal the history of those changes, because as your chairman I have to justify those changes in the committee report. Meaning I have to study very well the justifications and the history of the proposed amendments,” ani Gatchalian.
Pumayag din si Gatchalian na i-upload online ang detalye ng mga galaw sa badyet, partikular sa loob ng Senado, bago ang paglalabas ng committee report at bago ang pag-apruba sa ikalawang pagbasa. Makikiusap din siya sa mga mambabatas na magmumungkahi ng amyenda na tulungan ang finance committee sa paghahanap ng mapagkukunan ng pondo para rito.
Dagdag pa ni Gatchalian, sa pagitan ng committee report at pag-apruba sa ikalawang pagbasa, may pagkakataon ang mga senador na suriin ang mga pagbabago mula sa General Appropriations Bill patungo sa committee report, at magtanong tungkol sa mga nadagdagang pondo para sa ilang ahensya at nabawasang pondo para sa iba.
“So this is a time for our members to propound questions and during that time we can elaborate the justification on why those budget movements happened,” aniya.
“I agreed to the proposal, as well as the agreement made by the distinguished sponsor because the outcome is the same. It is for transparency,” dagdag ni Lacson.
Noong Martes, nanawagan si Lacson ng ganap na pagiging bukas sa badyet sa pamamagitan ng pagpapahayag sa publiko ng mga nagpanukala ng insertions at realignments sa panukalang batas sa badyet, anuman ang “complexity” nito. Sinabi niya na mahalaga ito upang managot ang mga nagpanukala para sa mga flood control at iba pang infrastructure project na lalabas na substandard o guniguni.
Kung walang ganitong pagiging bukas, sinabi ni Lacson na hindi matutupad ng Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4 ang layunin nitong tiyakin ang transparency sa deliberasyon para sa badyet ng 2026.
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