The push to scrap unprogrammed appropriations from the 2026 national budget gained more momentum as Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson threw his full support behind Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian.
Lacson said Saturday that he will add his voice to the Senate’s stand if the Senate and House contingents meet on the matter at the bicameral conference committee.
“Our agreement was that there will be no unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 budget, but we will allow funding for foreign-assisted projects that are necessary. Funds in the unprogrammed appropriations for other purposes will be removed,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino, in an interview on DZMM radio.
In Filipino: Lacson, Suportado sina Sotto at Gatchalian: Alisin ang Unprogrammed Appropriations sa 2026 Budget
Lacson, who earned a reputation as an eagle-eyed watchdog of the national budget, cited reports indicating the House on Friday rejected a proposal to slash the P250-billion unprogrammed appropriations.
House appropriations chairperson Mikaela Suansing was quoted in reports as saying the government cannot afford to scrap contingent funding for foreign-assisted projects.
Should the Senate and House maintain their conflicting stands, Lacson said the Senate will have on its side the Filipinos outraged by the corruption that was manifested in anomalous flood control and infrastructure projects.
Earlier, Lacson and his staff had confirmed the existence of flood control projects using unprogrammed funds in the budget.
“We may have to confront this issue in the bicam. If I become a member of the Senate contingent to the bicam, I will add my voice to that of Sen. Gatchalian, along with the voices of Filipinos who are outraged over corruption,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lacson pushed anew for self-restraint among lawmakers in making amendments to the budget bill, and for introducing institutional amendments rather than individual ones for infrastructure projects that do not stem from consultations with the local government units concerned.
*****
Lacson, Suportado sina Sotto at Gatchalian: Alisin ang Unprogrammed Appropriations sa 2026 Budget
Lalong lumakas ang panawagan sa Senado na alisin ang unprogrammed appropriations sa 2026 budget matapos magpahayag ng todong pagsuporta si Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson kay Senate President Vicente Sotto III at Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian sa nasabing panukala.
Tiniyak ni Lacson nitong Sabado na sasamahan niya ang posisyon ng Senado sakaling pagtalunan ito ng Senado at Kamara sa bicameral conference committee.
“Ang usapan namin wala nang unprogrammed appropriations sa 2026 budget. Ang papayagan na lang ang foreign-assisted kasi kailangan talaga yan. Pero ang iba alisin na natin,” aniya sa panayam sa DZMM.
Binanggit ni Lacson, na kilala bilang mahigpit na tagabantay ng kaban ng bayan, ang mga ulat nitong Biyernes kung saan tinanggihan ng Kamara ang panukalang bawasan ang P250-bilyong unprogrammed appropriations.
Sa mga ulat, sinabi ni House appropriations chairperson Mikaela Suansing na hindi umano kayang alisin ng pamahalaan ang pondo para sa mga foreign-assisted projects.
Kung mananatiling magkaiba ang posisyon ng Senado at Kamara, sinabi ni Lacson na kakampi ng Senado ang taumbayan na galit sa katiwaliang lumitaw sa mga maanomalyang proyekto sa flood control at imprastraktura.
Nauna nang kinumpirma ni Lacson at ng kanyang staff na may mga flood control project na ginamitan ng unprogrammed funds sa badyet.
“So diyan kami magkakasubukan sa bicam. Kung ako maging member ng bicam at magkasama-sama kami ni Sen. Gatchalian, palagay ko malakas ang aming boses doon kasi kasama sa boses namin ang boses ng mga galit,” ani Lacson.
Samantala, muling nanawagan si Lacson sa mga mambabatas na magpakita ng self-restraint o pagpipigil sa paglalagay ng mga individual amendments sa panukalang badyet, at sa halip ay magtuon sa mga institutional amendments na bunga ng konsultasyon sa mga lokal na pamahalaan.
*****