Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson intends to scrutinize potentially dubious farm-to-market roads, “ayuda” programs and “Super Health Centers” that “benefited” from some P255.5 billion from flood control project funds of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the 2026 budget.
Lacson said an initial check of the realignments showed the funds went to these items, as well as some “ayuda” programs that may be funded by unprogrammed appropriations.
Part of the realignments also went to the Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP) that funds the Super Health Centers, he added.
“Much of the realignments went to farm-to-market roads. The question is, is the list of such roads from the Department of Agriculture or from congressmen?” Lacson said.
“Some ayuda programs are to be funded by unprogrammed appropriations. We intend to uproot these and return them to the regular budget,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson, Bubusisiin ang Kahina-hinalang Farm-to-Market Roads, ‘Ayuda’ Programs, at Super Health Centers na Pinondohan Mula sa P255B DPWH Fund Realignment
Lacson said he will move to consolidate funds for “ayuda” and social services under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a program that will vet and provide qualified families with livelihood and education.
He also pushed for the realignment of some P2 billion for “Tulong Dunong” scholarship program of legislators to the Free Tertiary Education Act.
On Tuesday, Lacson said the Senate will move to strike out “alien” and “turo-turo” items – along with unprogrammed appropriations not tied to foreign-assisted projects – from the 2026 budget bill which it will start tackling next week.
Lacson said “alien” refers to items not in the disagreeing provisions of the Senate and House versions of the budget bill, while “turo-turo” refers to whimsical, arbitrary and patronage-based programs.
He said the Senate will move to realign “turo-turo” items to funding meaningful programs like Universal Health Care (UHC).
Lacson said he has discussed with Sen. Gatchalian the consolidation of funds for Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) to the UHC. This will remove from lawmakers the “burden” of issuing guarantee letters as the Department of Health will now determine what assistance to provide to needy patients.
“Our work as lawmakers is to legislate and exercise oversight, not to implement laws,” he said.
“Let’s make our programs systematic, and not whimsical, arbitrary and patronage-based,” he stressed.
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Lacson, Bubusisiin ang Kahina-hinalang Farm-to-Market Roads, ‘Ayuda’ Programs, at Super Health Centers na Pinondohan Mula sa P255B DPWH Fund Realignment
Bubusisiin ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ang mga kahina-hinalang farm-to-market roads, “ayuda” program, at mga “Super Health Center” na umano’y nakinabang sa mahigit P255.5 bilyon na inilipat mula sa pondo para sa flood control projects ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) sa panukalang 2026 budget.
Ani Lacson, lumalabas sa paunang pagsusuri ng mga realignment na napunta ang mga pondo sa naturang mga proyekto, pati na sa ilang “ayuda” program na posibleng pondohan ng unprogrammed appropriations.
Bahagi rin umano ng inilipat na pondo ay napunta sa Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP), na siyang nagpopondo sa mga Super Health Center.
“Maraming na-realign, papunta sa farm-to-market roads. Ang tanong, galing ba sa Department of Agriculture ang listahan o sa congressmen?” ani Lacson.
“Ang ibang ayuda naligaw sa unprogrammed appropriations, which we intend to uproot at ibalik sa regular,” dagdag pa niya.
Balak ni Lacson na pag-isahin ang mga pondo para sa “ayuda” at social services sa ilalim ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), kung saang masusing sinuri ang mga kwalipikadong pamilyang nangangailangan ng kabuhayan at edukasyon.
Itinutulak din niya ang pag-realign ng mahigit P2 bilyon para sa “Tulong Dunong” scholarship program ng mga mambabatas patungo sa Free Tertiary Education Act.
Noong Martes, sinabi ni Lacson na kikilos ang Senado upang tanggalin sa panukalang 2026 budget ang mga “alien” at “turo-turo” items — gayundin ang mga unprogrammed appropriations na hindi konektado sa mga foreign-assisted projects.
Ipinaliwanag ni Lacson na ang “alien” ay tumutukoy sa mga item na hindi kasama sa mga disagreeing provisions ng House at Senate versions ng budget bill, habang ang “turo-turo” naman ay yaong mga programang padalos-dalos, arbitraryo, at nakabatay sa patronage politics.
Dagdag pa ni Lacson, kikilos ang Senado upang i-realign ang mga “turo-turo” items papunta sa makabuluhang programang tulad ng Universal Health Care (UHC).
Ibinahagi ni Lacson na napag-usapan na nila ni Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian ang pagsasama ng mga pondo para sa Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) sa ilalim ng UHC. Sa ganitong paraan, hindi na kailangang maglabas ng guarantee letters ang mga mambabatas dahil ang Department of Health na ang tutukoy kung sino ang dapat bigyan ng tulong.
“Our work as lawmakers is to legislate and exercise oversight, not to implement laws,” ani Lacson.
“Let’s make our programs systematic, and not whimsical, arbitrary and patronage-based,” diin niya.
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