The media and the public must stay vigilant to prevent manipulations in the budget bill, especially now that the proceedings in the bicameral conference committee are being livestreamed, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Sunday.
Lacson said this will keep the pressure on lawmakers so they would not insist on funding for dubious programs, especially those that involve political patronage.
“Media and the public are the key here. If we all let down our guard, we may allow corruption to come back. We must remain vigilant not only on flood control projects, but also on the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients Program and farm-to-market roads,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.
In Filipino: Lacson: Dapat Manatiling Mapagbantay ang Media at Publiko vs Manipulasyon sa Badyet, Lalo’t May Livestreaming Ngayon
He said it is encouraging that the public is already criticizing the massive budget increase for the MAIFIP and the allocation of billions for farm-to-market roads in the budget bill.
Lacson earlier scored the funding for these items, saying he would not sign to ratify the bicameral conference committee report on the budget if these are not rectified.
“This is a good outcome of transparency through livestreaming. The media will know what is being discussed. And the public can discern and criticize the wrongdoings they see, like likening the MAIFIP and farm-to-market roads to pork barrel,” he said.
“This also keeps our lawmakers aware. We have to be sensitive especially at this time in our history due to the unprecedented corruption. That is why we insisted on livestreaming the proceedings,” he added.
Lacson reminded fellow lawmakers anew that the public’s outrage over the corruption behind anomalous flood control projects has not lessened, and any attempt to manipulate the budget to fund dubious programs – such as an reported attempt to revive the Tulong Dunong program – will be inviting trouble.
During the period of amendments in the Senate version of the budget bill, Lacson pushed for the deletion of P2.727 billion from the Tulong Dunong program – where lawmakers arbitrarily give out scholarships – and transferring it to the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) administered by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
“Public outrage has not died down on the flood control project issue. Now there is the issue on MAIFIP and farm-to-market roads. If some lawmakers try to revive the Tulong Dunong, that’s another source of trouble,” he said.
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Lacson: Dapat Manatiling Mapagbantay ang Media at Publiko vs Manipulasyon sa Badyet, Lalo’t May Livestreaming Ngayon
Kailangang manatiling mapagbantay ang media at publiko upang mabuking ang mga pagtangkang manipulasyon sa panukalang badyet, lalo na’t naka-livestream na ang mga pagdinig ng bicameral conference committee, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ngayong Linggo.
Giit ni Lacson, makatutulong ito upang hindi magpilit ang mga mambabatas na pondohan ang mga kuwestiyonableng programa, lalo na ang mga may kinalaman sa political patronage.
“Ang susi diyan is kayo, media at publiko. Kasi pag bumitaw tayo tulad sa flood control project anomalies, pag bumitaw diyan, babalik tayo sa dati. Kaya dapat hindi lang sa flood control projects, pati MAIFIP (Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients Program), pati FMR (farm-to-market roads), dapat nakabantay,” aniya sa panayam sa DZBB.
Diin ni Lacson, nakapagpapalakas ng loob na nakikialam na ang publiko at kinukwestiyon ang malaking dagdag-pondo sa MAIFIP at ang bilyun-bilyong alokasyon para sa farm-to-market roads sa panukalang badyet.
Nauna nang tinuligsa ni Lacson ang pondong inilaan sa mga nasabing item, at sinabing hindi niya lalagdaan ang ratipikasyon ng bicameral conference committee report sa badyet kung hindi ito maitama.
“Ito ang magandang outcome ng transparent at livestream. Hagip agad ng media kung anong pinagusapan doon. Ngayon may puna na, ang MAIFIP pork barrel ang turing ng kababayan natin. Ang farm-to-market roads parang ganoon din,” aniya.
“So naging aware pati ang mambabatas kasi pag may ganyan we have to be sensitive especially at this time in our history kasi unprecedented itong nangyari sa atin kaya nag-livestream,” dagdag niya.
Muli ring pinaalalahanan ni Lacson ang kanyang mga kapwa mambabatas na hindi pa humuhupa ang galit ng publiko kaugnay ng katiwalian sa mga maanomalyang flood control projects, at ang anumang tangkang manipulahin ang badyet upang pondohan ang mga kuwestiyonableng programa — tulad ng napaulat na tangkang buhayin ang Tulong Dunong program — ay naghahanap lamang ng batong pampukpok sa ulo.
Noong inaamyenda ang bersyon ng Senado ng panukalang badyet, itinulak ni Lacson ang pagtanggal ng P2.727 bilyon mula sa Tulong Dunong program — kung saan mga mambabatas ang namimigay ng scholarship — at ang paglilipat nito sa Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) na pinangangasiwaan ng Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
“Hindi pa humuhupa ang galit ng mga kababayan natin sa flood control projects. Ito na naman, panibagong bato na naman itong ipupukpok sa ulo namin, ang MAIFIP at farm to market roads. Kung ibabalik pa ang Tulong Dunong, pangatlong bato yan,” ani Lacson.
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