The Senate will not allow the reenactment in 2026 of the 2025 national budget that has been described as corrupt to the core, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.
Lacson said this is why the Senate is adopting measures to ensure transparency in the deliberations on the budget bill, including the livestreaming of the bicameral conference committee.
“Passing the 2026 budget bill is important. Without it, we may have a reenacted budget, and we will not allow that. If the 2025 budget is reenacted, we will see large lump sum appropriations coming from a 2025 budget that has had so many problems,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DWIZ radio.
In Filipino: Lacson: Hindi Papayagan ng Senado ang Reenacted 2025 Budget
Lacson, an eagle-eyed watchdog of the national budget, pointed out that the Senate had to adjust the schedule of its deliberations after issues cropped up during the deliberations.
He cited the extension of the deliberations on the general principles of the budget from one day to three days – as well as the issues raised during the deliberation of the budget of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
“Many anomalies were bared in the deliberation of the NIA’s budget so they need to return. These are unforeseen circumstances,” he said.
But Lacson said there is a chance that the reforms they adopted – including the livestreaming of the bicameral conference committee and the disallowing of “alien” items – could speed up the process because it will discourage insertions to the bill.
“The best reform introduced so far is that the bicam will not allow the insertion of any item that is not in the Senate or House version. This way, we will simplify and even possibly shorten the proceedings as there will be no more insertions or dealings,” he said.
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Lacson: Hindi Papayagan ng Senado ang Reenacted 2025 Budget
Hindi papayag ang Senado na ma-reenact sa 2026 ang 2025 national budget na inilarawang “corrupt to the core,” diin ni Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Sabado.
Ani Lacson, ito ang dahilan kung bakit nagpapatupad ang Senado ng mga hakbang para matiyak ang transparency sa pagtalakay ng panukalang budget, kabilang ang pag-livestream ng bicameral conference committee.
“Napakaimportante ng budget kasi pag wala tayong budget, reenacted tayo? Hindi namin papayagin ganoon. Napakalaking lump sum appropriations kung gagamitin mo budget ng 2025 na napakaraming problema,” sinabi niya sa panayam sa DWIZ radio.
Bilang mahigpit na tagabantay ng kaban ng bayan, binigyang-diin ni Lacson na kinailangang baguhin ng Senado ang schedule ng deliberasyon matapos lumabas ang ilang isyu habang tinatalakay ang panukala.
Tinukoy niya ang pagpapalawig ng deliberasyon sa general principles ng budget mula isang araw tungo sa tatlong araw—pati na ang mga isyung lumutang sa pagtalakay ng budget ng National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
“Ang daming anomalya (sa NIA budget kaya) pina-suspend namin, babalik pa uli ‘yan. Mga unforeseen circumstances,” aniya.
Gayunman, sinabi ni Lacson na may posibilidad na mapabilis ang proseso dahil sa mga repormang kanilang ipinapatupad — kabilang ang livestreaming ng bicam at ang pagbabawal ng “alien” items — dahil makapipigil ito sa mga insertion sa panukalang batas.
“Ang pinakamagandang reform na in-introduce: ‘di na puwede pagdating sa bicam ang ipapasok na wala sa Senate o House version. Napakaimportanteng reporma kasi ma-simplify namin. In that regard, puwede kong sabihin baka mapaikli ang bicam kasi wala na ang mga singitan at bulungan na hindi kasama sa either version e papasok doon,” paliwanag niya.
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