Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Tuesday flagged at least P51.82 billion worth of vague, “distinct” insertions in the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), and is targeting them for realignment to programs consistent with the Philippine Medium-Term Development Plan.
Lacson said these flagged items are for flood management programs for Metro Manila and Regions 1 (Ilocos), 2 (Cagayan Valley), and 3 (Central Luzon).
He said he and Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian have agreed to remove funding for these dubious projects in favor of more worthy ones.
“Sen. Gatchalian and I want to remove these vague entries in the NEP. It seems those who inserted these items plan to make them ghost projects. We could not identify who inserted them,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZRH radio.
“When we amend the budget bill, we intend to realign these items to those in accordance with the Philippine medium term development plan and in coordination and consultation with the Department of Budget and Management and Department of Public Works and Highways so our amendments will be aligned with the direction that the national government wants to take. Our plan is to remove these items because they are too vague,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson, Pinuna ang P51.2B ‘Distinct’ Insertions sa 2026 NEP
At the briefing of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) Tuesday, Lacson said these include:
* 88 items with P150 million funding each, totaling P13.2 billion
* 373 items with P100 million funding each, totaling P37.3 billion
* 11 items with P120 million funding each, totaling P1.32 billion
In his privilege speech last Aug. 20, Lacson described the multiple budget items with the same contract cost as “Distinct,” a coded budget that indicate who owns the projects.
Many of the items lacked stationing, making them impossible to trace – a red flag for ghost projects.
Because of this, Lacson proposed an executive session so the senators would know which development programs to redirect the funds to programs in line with the Philippine Medium Term Development Plan. Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said she will coordinate with DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon on the matter.
“When contractors invade Congress and lawmakers invade the construction business, this is the outcome. The DPWH allows them to make insertions in the NEP,” Lacson replied.
“Its impact on the Filipino is not just one, two or three whammies. It’s a quadruple whammy because insertions are made in the NEP, the House and Senate versions of the budget bill, and the bicameral conference committee. It’s a quadruple whammy on Filipinos,” he added, to which Pangandaman agreed.
DPWH Involvement in Early Insertions
Also, Lacson said the DBM and Malacanang may want to quiz the Department of Public Works and Highways DPWH, noting that a representative of the DPWH had called legislators early to insert items into the NEP.
He cited the experience of Senate minority leader Vicente Sotto III, whose staff was called by a DPWH representative to insert items into the NEP.
“The caller was identified. The caller told Sotto’s staff to propose items for insertion in the NEP but Sotto refused,” Lacson said.
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Lacson, Pinuna ang P51.2B ‘Distinct’ Insertions sa 2026 NEP
Binuking ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ang hindi bababa sa P51.82 bilyong halaga ng malabong “distinct” insertions sa 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP), na kanyang nais ipa-realign sa mga programang naaayon sa Philippine Medium-Term Development Plan.
Ani Lacson, ang mga pondong ito ay para sa flood management program para sa Metro Manila at Regions 1 (Ilocos), 2 (Cagayan Valley), at 3 (Central Luzon).
Nagkasundo si Lacson at Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian na alisin ang pondo para sa mga proyektong kahina-hinala at ilipat ito sa mas makabuluhang programa.
“Gusto namin ni Sen. Gatchalian is tanggalin ang malabong description na items sa NEP. Ang plano doon siguro iba igo-ghost talaga kasi di mo ma-identify,” aniya sa panayam sa DZRH.
“Mag-a-amend kami, ire-realign namin sa tingin namin na naaayon sa direction ng Philippine medium term development plan. Ang plano talaga, nagkasundo kami ni Sen. Gatchalian tatanggalin namin lahat yan. Ang labo eh,” dagdag niya. Ani Lacson, makikipagugnayan sila sa Department of Budget and Management at Department of Public Works and Highways para ang mga amendments ay sang-ayon sa direksyon ng pambansang pamahalaan.
Sa briefing ng Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) nitong Martes, sinabi ni Lacson na kabilang sa mga ito ang:
* 88 items na tig-P150 milyon ang pondo bawat isa, kabuuang P13.2 bilyon
* 373 items na tig-P100 milyon ang pondo bawat isa, kabuuang P37.3 bilyon
* 11 items na tig-P120 milyon ang pondo bawat isa, kabuuang P1.32 bilyon
Sa privilege speech niya noong Agosto 20, “distinct” ang tawag ni Lacson sa mga budget items na pare-pareho ang contract cost. Isa itong “coded budget” na nagpapahiwatig kung kanino ang mga proyekto.
Marami sa mga item ang walang stationing – isang red flag na indikasyon ng ghost projects.
Dahil dito, iminungkahi ni Lacson ang pagkakaroon ng executive session upang malaman ng mga senador kung aling development programs dapat i-realign ang mga pondo, alinsunod sa Philippine Medium-Term Development Plan. Sinabi naman ni Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman na makikipag-ugnayan siya kay DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon hinggil sa usapin.
“Pag ang contractors have invaded the House and congressmen have invaded the construction business, ito po ang outcome. Kasi NEP pa lang pinapayagan sila ng DPWH to make insertions,” ani Lacson.
“Ang tama sa atin dito hindi isang whammy, hindi double whammy, hindi triple whammy – quadruple whammy. Sa NEP may insertion, sa House GAB may insertion, sa Senate version may insertion, sa bicam may insertion. Quadruple whammy ang tama ng Pilipino dito,” dagdag ng mambabatas.
Partisipasyon ng DPWH sa Maagang Insertions
Ibinunyag din ni Lacson na maaaring dapat tanungin ng DBM at Malacañang ang DPWH, matapos malamang isang kinatawan ng DPWH ang tumawag sa ilang mambabatas upang magpasok ng mga proyekto sa NEP.
Bilang halimbawa, binanggit niya ang karanasan ni Senate minority leader Vicente Sotto III, na ang kanyang staff ay nakatanggap ng tawag mula sa isang kinatawan ng DPWH na humihiling na magsumite ng mga proyekto para sa insertion—ngunit tinanggihan ito ni Sotto.
“Tukoy kung sinong tumawag. Sabihin kay Tito Sen magsingit sa NEP, sabi niya, ayoko,” ani Lacson.
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