Despite the Senate’s tight schedule due to the ongoing impeachment trial, regular plenary sessions and expected committee hearings on matters referred to his committees, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson and his staff have begun scrutinizing the proposed P7.2-trillion budget for 2027.
Lacson said that, as in past years, he and his staff would closely examine the National Expenditure Program (NEP) to ensure that no traces of “pork,” including questionable, useless and wasteful items, would make it to the proposed budget.
“Sa ngayon, sinisimulan na namin ng staff na i-scrutinize ang NEP kasi na-transmit na ito. Pinasisimulan namin kalkalin o i-scrutinize ang NEP para sa 2027 budget (As of now, my staff and I have started scrutinizing the NEP after it was transmitted to both houses of Congress. We have started poring through the NEP in preparation for deliberations on the proposed budget for 2027),” he said in an interview on DZBB radio.
In Filipino: Lacson, Staff Sinimulan ang Pagsusuri sa Panukalang 2027 Budget sa Kabila ng Masikip na Iskedyul ng Senado
Lacson chairs the Senate Committees on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, Ways and Means, and Accounts.
The Senate is currently following a tight schedule with the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio in the morning, and plenary sessions in the afternoon.
Some committee hearings have been scheduled at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) due to lack of space in the Senate building.
Lacson expressed confidence that his advocacy for budget transparency, together with the budget reforms instituted last year by then Senate finance committee chairman and now Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, would ensure greater transparency in the budget process.
During last year’s deliberations, Lacson called for the abolition of the “leadership fund” after then Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan admitted its existence while being grilled during a Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on the flood control scandal last September. Lacson, who chaired the Blue Ribbon panel at the time, called for the abolition of such a fund.
On the other hand, he cited the measures implemented by Gatchalian, including the televising and livestreaming of the bicameral conference committee proceedings, as a major step toward transparency.
While Lacson noted there were moments when lawmakers held side discussions during breaks that were not captured in the livestreams, it was a significant improvement over previous years where bicameral conference committee proceedings were kept behind closed doors.
“At least mabuti yan kesa dati na third chamber, usap-usap lang small bicam lang (At least it is better than past years where the bicameral conference committee was turned into a third chamber, where members would hold discussions behind closed doors like a small bicam),” he said.
Lacson also expressed confidence that Senate finance committee chairman Jose Victor “JV” Ejercito, who will chair Senate deliberations on the budget, will continue efforts to ensure transparency.
Meanwhile, Lacson stressed anew the need for district representatives to keep in tune with the needs and priorities of their constituents, by actively participating in the formation of local development plans by local development councils, rather than resorting to insertions once the NEP reaches Congress.
“Hindi nasusunod (ang proseso) kasi walang gana ang congressmen mag-attend ng local development councils sa pagbalangkas ng local development plans kasi iniisip nila darating naman sa Congress yan, (pwedeng mag-) insert dito, insert doon. May disconnect between the actual needs and priorities ng LGU at lumabas sa budget. Ang laki ng disconnect (The budget process is not followed because some congressmen do not attend local development councils in discussing local development plans. They think that since the NEP would reach Congress, they can just insert items. So there is a disconnect between the actual needs and priorities of the local government units and what are funded in the national budget. The disconnect is alarming),” he said.
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Lacson, Staff Sinimulan ang Pagsusuri sa Panukalang 2027 Budget sa Kabila ng Masikip na Iskedyul ng Senado
Sa kabila ng masikip na schedule dahil sa nagpapatuloy na impeachment trial, regular na Senate plenary sessions at mga inaasahang pagdinig tungkol sa mga usaping ini-refer sa kanyang mga komite, sinimulan na ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson at ng kanyang staff ang masusing pagsusuri sa panukalang P7.2-trilyong budget para sa 2027.
Ani Lacson, tulad ng sa mga nakaraang taon, masusing susuriin ang National Expenditure Program (NEP) upang matiyak na walang makakalusot na “pork” sa panukalang budget, kabilang ang mga kuwestiyonable, walang silbi at maaksayang gastusin.
“Sa ngayon, sinisimulan na namin ng staff na i-scrutinize ang NEP kasi na-transmit na ito. Pinasisimulan namin kalkalin o i-scrutinize ang NEP para sa 2027 budget,” aniya sa isang panayam sa DZBB radio.
Pinamumunuan ni Lacson ang Senate Committees on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, Ways and Means, at Accounts.
Kasalukuyang masikip ang iskedyul ng Senado, kung saan idinaraos sa umaga ang impeachment trial ni Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio at plenary sessions naman sa hapon.
Ilang pagdinig ng mga komite naman ang itinakda sa Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) dahil sa kakulangan ng espasyo sa gusali ng Senado.
Nagpahayag si Lacson ng kumpiyansa na ang adbokasiya niya para sa budget transparency, kasama ang mga reporma na ipinatupad noong nakaraang taon ni Senate finance committee chairman noon at ngayo’y Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian, ay makatutulong upang higit pang matiyak ang transparency sa proseso ng pagbubuo ng budget.
Sa mga deliberasyon sa budget noong nakaraang taon, nanawagan si Lacson na alisin ang “leadership fund” matapos aminin ni dating Public Works Secretary Manuel Bonoan ang pagkakaroon nito nang ginisa siya sa isang pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee tungkol sa flood control scandal noong Setyembre. Si Lacson ang namuno sa Blue Ribbon panel noong panahong iyon.
Binanggit naman ni Lacson ang mga hakbang na ipinatupad ni Gatchalian, kabilang ang pagsasahimpapawid at livestream ng mga pagdinig ng bicameral conference committee, bilang malaking hakbang tungo sa transparency.
Dagdag niya, bagama’t may mga pagkakataong hindi nakuhanan ng livestream ang mga side discussion ang mga mambabatas habang may mga break, malaking pagbabago pa rin ito kumpara sa mga nakaraang taon kung saan sarado sa publiko ang mga pagdinig ng bicameral conference committee.
“At least mabuti yan kesa dati na third chamber, usap-usap lang small bicam lang,” aniya.
Nagpahayag din si Lacson ng kumpiyansa na magpapatuloy si Senate finance committee chairman Jose Victor “JV” Ejercito, na mamumuno sa deliberasyon ng Senado sa budget, sa mga pagsisikap na matiyak ang transparency.
Samantala, muling iginiit ni Lacson ang pangangailangan para sa mga district representative na manatiling nakaayon sa mga pangangailangan at prayoridad ng kanilang mga nasasakupan sa pamamagitan ng aktibong pakikilahok sa pagbubuo ng local development plans ng mga local development council, sa halip na umasa sa mga insertion kapag nasa Kongreso na ang NEP.
“Hindi nasusunod (ang proseso) kasi walang gana ang congressmen mag-attend ng local development councils sa pagbalangkas ng local development plans kasi iniisip nila darating naman sa Congress yan, (pwedeng mag-) insert dito, insert doon. May disconnect between the actual needs and priorities ng LGU at lumabas sa budget. Ang laki ng disconnect,” aniya.
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