Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Thursday renewed his call to abolish the “Leadership Fund” or allocables from the national budget, branding it not merely as another form of pork barrel, but a worse version of the outlawed system.
Lacson said the testimony of former Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan, as well as recent developments on anomalous flood control projects, highlighted how the “Leadership Fund” gave legislators an opportunity to make budget insertions even during the preparation phase of the national budget.
“The Leadership Fund aka ‘allocables’ is a worse version of the outlawed pork barrel system. It added another layer that provided legislators opportunity to make budget insertions even during the Preparation Phase of the national budget, or before the National Expenditure Program (NEP) is transmitted to the Congress for deliberations by both chamber, where further insertions could still be introduced,” said Lacson, who has consistently rejected pork barrel in all its forms.
“With all that said, I maintain that such anomaly in the passage of the national budget must stop,” he added.
In Filipino: Lacson Muling Nanawagan na Buwagin ang ‘Leadership Fund’ sa Pambansang Badyet
In a post on X, Lacson also stressed that lawmakers may participate in the budget preparation phase through local development councils, where they can represent their respective districts in preparing local development plans.
“LEADERSHIP FUND is not only a descendant of the outlawed ‘pork barrel’ but also its worst version. Why would members of Congress dip their hands in the budget preparation phase outside of the local development councils preparation of the their local development plans where they are allowed to represent their districts?” he asked.
LEADERSHIP FUND is not only a descendant of the outlawed“pork barrel” but also its worst version. Why would members of Congress dip their hands in the budget preparation phase outside of the local development councils preparation of the their local development plans where they…
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) August 13, 2026
The “leadership fund” was first exposed in September last year when Bonoan mentioned it during a Senate Blue Ribbon hearing chaired by Lacson on the flood control scandal.
At the time, Bonoan – replying to Lacson’s query on how legislators inserted projects into the budget proposal that had not yet entered the legislative phase – said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) consolidated lawmakers’ requested proposals into the NEP, including through the “leadership fund” in the Senate.
Bonoan said the proposals were vetted with the DPWH’s planning service so the projects being included “are consistent with development programs.”
He also said the insertions were allowed at the NEP stage to avoid complications during the bicameral conference committee, prompting Lacson to remind him that “the role of lawmakers is in the authorization phase,” or when the budget bill is submitted to Congress for deliberation.
Lacson said the “Leadership Fund” helps explain how the public has come to learn of individual allocations amounting to billions of pesos for legislators – including P6.79 billion for ex-Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and P4.7 billion for Sen. Pilar Juliana Cayetano in Taguig City, from the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
He said such individual allocations in Taguig City – one local government unit with two legislative districts – led to “illegal reclamation disguised as slope protection and flood mitigation projects, now the subject of an investigation by the Ombudsman and forfeiture proceedings by the Philippine Reclamation Authority.”
Lacson also pointed out that his call for the abolition of the “leadership fund” threatened then Senate President Vicente Sotto III’s Senate presidency, amid Bonoan’s revelation during his testimony before the Sandiganbayan last Wednesday that all senators in 2024 had at least P500 million of allocations for their priority projects under the “Leadership Funds.”
“My call for its abolition after exposing the leadership fund threatened then SP Sotto’s Senate presidency,” Lacson noted.
“While insertions per se do not automatically translate to misuse of public funds, it could open the floodgates of abuse and misuse of public funds for some corrupt politicians,” he added.
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Lacson Muling Nanawagan na Buwagin ang ‘Leadership Fund’ sa Pambansang Badyet
Muling nanawagan si Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Huwebes na buwagin ang “Leadership Fund” o allocables sa pambansang badyet, na aniya’y hindi lamang isa pang anyo ng pork barrel kundi mas masahol na bersiyon ng ipinagbawal nang sistema.
Ayon kay Lacson, ipinakita ng testimonya ni dating Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan, gayundin ng mga kamakailang kaganapan kaugnay ng mga maanomalyang proyekto sa flood control, kung paano nabigyan ng “Leadership Fund” ang mga mambabatas ng pagkakataong magsingit ng mga proyekto sa badyet kahit nasa preparation phase pa lamang ng pambansang badyet.
“The Leadership Fund aka ‘allocables’ is a worse version of the outlawed pork barrel system. It added another layer that provided legislators opportunity to make budget insertions even during the Preparation Phase of the national budget, or before the National Expenditure Program (NEP) is transmitted to the Congress for deliberations by both chamber, where further insertions could still be introduced,” ani Lacson, na hindi kailanman nakinabang sa anumang anyo ng pork barrel o katulad na pondo.
“With all that said, I maintain that such anomaly in the passage of the national budget must stop,” dagdag niya.
Sa isang post sa X, binigyang-diin din ni Lacson na maaaring makilahok ang mga mambabatas sa preparation phase ng badyet sa pamamagitan ng mga local development council, kung saan maaari nilang katawanin ang kani-kanilang distrito sa paghahanda ng mga local development plan.
“LEADERSHIP FUND is not only a descendant of the outlawed ‘pork barrel’ but also its worst version. Why would members of Congress dip their hands in the budget preparation phase outside of the local development councils preparation of the their local development plans where they are allowed to represent their districts?” aniya.
Unang lumitaw ang “leadership fund” noong Setyembre ng nakaraang taon nang banggitin ito ni Bonoan sa isang pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon na pinamunuan ni Lacson hinggil sa flood control scandal.
Noong panahong iyon, bilang tugon sa tanong ni Lacson kung paano nakapagsisingit ang mga mambabatas ng mga proyekto sa panukalang badyet na hindi pa pumapasok sa legislative phase, sinabi ni Bonoan na pinagsasama-sama ng Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) ang mga hinihiling na proyekto ng mga mambabatas para maisama sa NEP, kabilang ang mga dumadaan sa “leadership fund” sa Senado.
Sinabi ni Bonoan na sinusuri ng planning service ng DPWH ang mga panukala upang matiyak na ang mga proyektong isinasama ay “are consistent with development programs.”
Sinabi rin niya na pinapayagan ang mga insertion sa NEP stage upang maiwasan ang mga komplikasyon sa bicameral conference committee, dahilan upang ipaalala ni Lacson na “the role of lawmakers is in the authorization phase,” o kapag isinusumite na sa Kongreso ang panukalang batas sa badyet para sa deliberasyon.
Ayon kay Lacson, nakatutulong ang “Leadership Fund” upang maipaliwanag kung paano nalalaman ng publiko ang tungkol sa mga indibidwal na alokasyon na umaabot sa bilyun-bilyong piso para sa mga mambabatas—kabilang ang P6.79 bilyon para kay dating Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano at P4.7 bilyon para kay Sen. Pilar Juliana Cayetano sa Taguig City, mula sa 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
Sinabi niyang ang naturang mga indibidwal na alokasyon sa Taguig City—isang local government unit na may dalawang legislative district—ay humantong sa “illegal reclamation disguised as slope protection and flood mitigation projects, now the subject of an investigation by the Ombudsman and forfeiture proceedings by the Philippine Reclamation Authority.”
Itinuro rin ni Lacson na ang kanyang panawagan na buwagin ang “leadership fund” ay nagbanta noon sa pagka-Senate President ni Vicente Sotto III, kasunod ng pagbubunyag ni Bonoan sa kanyang testimonya sa Sandiganbayan noong nakaraang Miyerkules na lahat ng senador noong 2024 ay may hindi bababa sa P500 milyon na alokasyon para sa kanilang mga priority project sa ilalim ng “Leadership Funds.”
“My call for its abolition after exposing the leadership fund threatened then SP Sotto’s Senate presidency,” diin ni Lacson.
“While insertions per se do not automatically translate to misuse of public funds, it could open the floodgates of abuse and misuse of public funds for some corrupt politicians,” dagdag niya.
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