Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson will closely scrutinize the realignments made in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)’s proposed budget for 2026, particularly those introduced in the House of Representatives for “ayuda” programs.
Lacson, an eagle-eyed watchdog of the national budget, said this Wednesday after noting that at least P46 billion of the DPWH’s budget was realigned to “ayuda” programs.
“We expect the House version of the General Appropriations Bill to be transmitted to us soon. We will compare this House version of the budget bill with the National Expenditure Program to check which items got a spike in funding,” he said in Filipino in an interview on True FM.
In Filipino: Lacson: Bubusisiin ang DPWH Budget Realignments, Kabilang ang Para sa ‘Ayuda’
The Senate is expected to start deliberations on the DPWH’s proposed 2026 budget in October. Lacson said he intends to focus on the budget deliberations.
Lacson said this scrutiny for questionable items in the budget has become doubly important because the country cannot afford another scandal after the Napoles pork barrel mess of 2013, and this year’s controversy involving anomalous flood control projects.
The House of Representatives had reportedly realigned at least P46 billion from the DPWH’s flood control projects to social amelioration programs, including P32.6 billion to the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, and P14.82 billion to Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD).
With this, the proposed AICS budget for 2026 was increased to P59.5 billion while the TUPAD budget was increased to P26.9 billion.
Earlier, the DPWH brought down the DPWH’s proposed 2026 budget to P625.7 billion after scrapping all locally funded flood control projects and removing corruption-prone projects like road reblocking and road stud projects.
Lacson reiterated his call to fellow lawmakers to exercise self-restraint in making proposed realignments, keeping in mind the outrage generated by the flood control project scandal.
“We should be horrified by what happened. Let’s not allow the problem to linger. Let us also help find ways to bring down our debt because our debt has grown so big,” he said.
“We have barely recovered from the Napoles scandal when we got hit by the controversy over flood control projects. What’s next?” he added.
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Lacson: Bubusisiin ang DPWH Budget Realignments, Kabilang ang Para sa ‘Ayuda’
Bubusisiing mabuti ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ang mga realignment na ginawa sa panukalang 2026 budget ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), partikular ang mga realignment na ginawa ng Kamara para sa “ayuda” programs.
Iginiit ito ni Lacson, na kilala bilang matinding bantay ng pambansang budget, nitong Miyerkules matapos niyang mapuna na hindi bababa sa P46 bilyon na pondo ng DPWH ay inilipat sa mga programang “ayuda.”
“Darating sa amin ang budget at hopefully may kopya ng House GAB para ma-compare ang NEP at House version, nang sa ganoon makita namin saan bumukol na naman,” ani Lacson sa isang panayam sa True FM.
Inaasahang magsisimula ang Senado ng pagtalakay sa panukalang budget ng DPWH sa Oktubre. Balak ni Lacson na maging aktibo sa mga deliberasyon.
Giit ni Lacson, lalo pang naging mahalaga ang masusing pagbabantay sa mga kahina-hinalang item sa budget dahil hindi na kayang tiisin ng bansa ang isa pang iskandalo matapos ang Napoles pork barrel mess noong 2013 at ang kontrobersiya ngayong taon kaugnay ng maanomalyang flood control projects.
Iniulat na inilipat ng Kamara ang hindi bababa sa P46 bilyon mula sa mga flood control projects ng DPWH patungo sa mga social amelioration programs, kabilang ang P32.6 bilyon para sa Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), at P14.82 bilyon para sa Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD).
Dahil dito, tumaas ang panukalang budget ng AICS para sa 2026 tungo sa P59.5 bilyon, habang ang budget ng TUPAD ay tumaas sa P26.9 bilyon.
Nauna nang ibinaba ng DPWH ang panukalang 2026 budget nito sa P625.7 bilyon matapos tanggalin ang lahat ng locally funded flood control projects at alisin ang mga proyektong madalas gawing ugat ng korapsyon gaya ng road reblocking at road studs projects.
Muling nanawagan si Lacson sa kapwa niya mambabatas na magpakita ng disiplina sa paggawa ng mga panukalang realignment, lalo na sa gitna ng matinding pagkadismaya ng publiko sa iskandalong dulot ng flood control projects.
“Mangilabot na tayo sa nangyari. Huwag na nating panatilihin ang problema. Tumulong na lang tayo na makatipid sa utang natin kasi taon-taon ang laki ng inuutang natin,” aniya.
“Galing na tayo sa Napoles, ito flood control projects. Anong susunod?” dagdag pa niya.
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