The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) diverted no less than P50 billion from unprogrammed appropriations in the 2024 budget for various infrastructure projects, including P30 billion for flood control projects alone, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson bared Tuesday.
Lacson said this showed how DPWH officials have become comfortable with not following the government’s master plan for infrastructure projects.
“In 2024 alone, the DPWH diverted P50 billion from unprogrammed appropriations for infrastructure projects, including P30 billion for flood control projects. This means DPWH officials have become comfortable with funding such projects even if this means violating the government’s master plan,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.
“These appropriations were spread throughout several districts. The public fund was abused because of the collusion between some lawmakers and DPWH officials, to the point that lawmakers gave the DPWH bigger funds than the education sector – and in 2025, they continued this practice until it exploded in our faces,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson: DPWH, Inilaan ang P50B Unprogrammed Funds Para sa Infra Projects noong 2024
Lacson said he is heartened over the reforms undertaken by new DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to follow the government’s master plan, as well as the policy of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian not to fund projects that do not conform with the master plan.
He also stressed that the DPWH’s practice of playing with public funds needs to stop, particularly the practice of substituting projects that he said is tantamount to technical malversation.
“When we pass the budget bill, everything is itemized. If you make changes there, that is already technical malversation even if you have not stolen anything yet. Appropriations for a particular item must be properly spent. If not, the funds should go to savings,” he said.
Removing P42B ‘Ayuda’
Lacson said the Senate will be uncompromising in removing some P42 billion in appropriations for “ayuda” or social assistance programs from the unprogrammed appropriations in the budget bill for 2026, and keep the unprogrammed appropriations only for foreign-assisted projects.
“The House left some P42 billion in the unprogrammed appropriations for ayuda, and we will remove it,” he said in Filipino in an interview on One News. “We expect a long discussion in the bicameral conference committee but we senators agreed that ayuda funds cannot be in the unprogrammed appropriations. They should be in the regular budget.”
Lacson, who earned a reputation as an eagle-eyed watchdog of the budget, said this was the stand he is taking along with Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian, and most members of the majority bloc.
He lauded Gatchalian for handling the committee hearings on the budget very well. Lacson said that while he could not attend the hearings as he is recovering from a recent surgery, he has watched the proceedings online.
“He did his homework. His scrutiny exposed anomalies, questionable items and red flags. I take my hat off to him,” he said of Gatchalian.
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Lacson: DPWH, Inilaan ang P50B Unprogrammed Funds Para sa Infra Projects noong 2024
Ibinulgar ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes na hindi bababa sa P50 bilyon mula sa unprogrammed appropriations ng 2024 budget ang inilaan ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) para sa mga proyektong imprastraktura — kabilang ang P30 bilyon na napunta sa mga flood control projects lamang.
Ani Lacson, malinaw itong patunay na tila nasanay na ang ilang opisyal ng DPWH na hindi sumunod sa master plan ng pamahalaan pagdating sa pagpapatupad ng mga proyekto.
“Sa 2024, nakita ko ang dokumento, ang hinugot nila from unprogrammed appropriations, pumapalo ng P50B at P30B ang nakalagak sa flood control projects. Ibig sabihin nawili sila sa flood control projects na di tumatama sa master plan,” ani Lacson sa panayam ng DZBB.
“Ang unprogrammed appropriations, sinabog kung saang distrito para gumawa ng flood control projects. Talagang naabuso. Kasi nandiyan ang suki nila, suki ng mambabatas sa DPWH kaya tinambakan nila kaya naungusan ang education sector.. Kaya sa 2025 tinodo nila, yan ang masama kasi nawili, kaya sumabog,” dagdag niya.
Sang-ayon si Lacson sa mga repormang ipinatutupad ngayon ni DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon upang muling ituwid ang mga proyekto ayon sa master plan ng gobyerno, pati na rin sa polisiya ni Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian na hindi pondohan ang mga proyektong labas sa planong ito.
Binigyang-diin din ni Lacson na kailangang tuldukan na ang practice ng DPWH sa paglalaro sa pondo ng bayan, lalo na ang pagpapalit ng proyekto na maituturing na technical malversation.
“Pag nagpasa kami ng budget itemized yan… Pag iniba mo ang paglalagakan ng pondo, technical malversation yan, act pa lang, wala pang ninanakaw. Kung may nakalagak na pondo para sa proyekto dapat stick sa project na yan. Pag ito di magagawa for some reason papasok sa savings yan,” paliwanag ni Lacson.
Pag-aalis ng P42B ‘Ayuda’ sa Unprogrammed Appropriations
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na magiging matatag ang Senado sa pagtanggal ng P42 bilyong nakalaan para sa mga programang “ayuda” o social assistance mula sa unprogrammed appropriations ng 2026 budget bill, at panatilihin lamang ang pondo para sa mga foreign-assisted projects.
“Uncompromising kami diyan. Ang Senado uncompromising… Especially nagtira ang House sa unprogrammed appropriations ng ayuda. Ang naiwan doon P42 billion, tatanggalin namin yan,” ani Lacson sa panayam sa One News. “Mahabang usapan sa bicam pero nagusap kami di pwede sa unprogrammed appropriations ang ayuda. Ilagay natin sa regular budget.”
Giit ni Lacson, na kilala bilang matiyaga at matalas sa pagsusuri ng badyet, ito rin ang pinaninindigan nina Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian, at karamihan sa mga kasapi ng majority bloc.
Pinuri rin ni Lacson si Gatchalian sa mahusay nitong pangangasiwa ng mga pagdinig ng komite sa badyet. Sinabi niyang bagama’t hindi siya personal na nakadalo dahil sa kanyang paggaling mula sa isang operasyon, sinubaybayan niya ang mga pagdinig online.
“Maganda ang kanyang pagaaral. Scrutiny niya maraming nalabas na maanomalya, questionable, red flag. I take my hat off to him,” ani Lacson.
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