A P162.9-million boost in its 2026 budget, facilitated by Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson and then Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian, helped the Anti-Money Laundering Council integrate artificial intelligence in its anti-money laundering efforts this year.
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor and AMLC Chairman Eli Remolona Jr. said this Thursday, nearly a year after Blue Ribbon hearings on the flood control scandal highlighted gaps in the country’s anti-money laundering efforts amid massive cash transactions involving contractors.
In Filipino: AMLC: Dagdag-Pondo nina Lacson, Gatchalian Malaking Tulong sa Kakayahang Gumamit ng AI vs Money Laundering
Remolona said the AMLC allocated P125 million out of the additional funding to strengthen its AI capability.
“Ang P125 million, napunta yan sa AI; tapos ang capacity building. Kailangan din ng mga experts sa paggamit ng AI. So gamit na gamit po ang budget na yan (P125 million went to AI, as well as capacity building. We need experts who can use AI. So the budget was put to good use),” Remolona said in response to a question from Lacson during the briefing of the Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC) for the 2027 national budget.
“Sa exercise na lang ng oversight namin, nasaan na tayo ngayon sa naitulong naming kaunting halaga na P162M? Nag-improve ba capacity ng AMLC (As part of our oversight function, where are we now in terms of the P162 million we helped provide? Did it improve the AMLC’s capacity)?” Lacson had asked Remolona.
When Lacson asked if the P162-million boost helped the AMLC, Remolona said, “Absolutely.”
Last November, the Senate finance committee under then-chairman and now-Senate President Gatchalian restored the proposed budget of the AMLC for 2026 to P333 million, following Lacson’s strong recommendation.
The AMLC’s budget was restored to P333 million in the Senate version of the budget bill, from the P170.161 million allotted for it in the National Expenditure Program.
In September last year, Lacson assured the AMLC that he would help secure the funding it needs to fight money laundering and corruption, as he lamented the AMLC got “crumbs” in the NEP.
This followed a Blue Ribbon Committee hearing that uncovered how contractor Sally Santos, owner of Syms Construction, withdrew P457 million in cash in a single day in March and in April 2025, or within a period of just nine days. Santos at the time delivered the cash to sacked Public Works engineer Brice Hernandez.
Also, Lacson noted at the time that the AMLC had proposed to the Department of Budget and Management a budget of P333.1 million for 2026, but had only P170.161 million in recommended appropriations under the NEP.
Lacson pointed out that the additional requirements of the AMLC are “smaller than the commissions and SOPs demanded by corrupt officials in the Department of Public Works and Highways as well as some legislator-proponents, among others.”
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AMLC: Dagdag-Pondo nina Lacson, Gatchalian Malaking Tulong sa Kakayahang Gumamit ng AI vs Money Laundering
Nakatulong nang malaki ang P162.9 milyong dagdag sa 2026 budget ng Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), na isinulong nina Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson at noo’y Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian, upang maisama ng AMLC ang artificial intelligence (AI) sa mga hakbang nito laban sa money laundering ngayong taon.
Ibinahagi ito ni Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor at AMLC Chairman Eli Remolona Jr. nitong Huwebes, halos isang taon matapos matukoy sa mga pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee sa flood control scandal ang mga kakulangan sa mga hakbang ng bansa laban sa money laundering, kasunod ng malalaking cash transactions na kinasasangkutan ng mga kontratista.
Dagdag ni Remolona, ginamit ng AMLC ang P125 milyon sa dagdag na badyet para palakasin ang AI capability nito.
“Ang P125 million, napunta yan sa AI; tapos ang capacity building. Kailangan din ng mga experts sa paggamit ng AI. So gamit na gamit po ang budget na yan,” sabi ni Remolona bilang tugon sa tanong ni Lacson sa briefing ng Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC) para sa 2027 national budget.
“Sa exercise na lang ng oversight namin, nasaan na tayo ngayon sa naitulong naming kaunting halaga na P162M? Nag-improve ba capacity ng AMLC?” tanong ni Lacson kay Remolona.
Nang tanungin ni Lacson kung nakatulong sa AMLC ang P162-milyong dagdag-pondo, sumagot si Remolona ng, “Absolutely.”
Sa Nobyembre noong nakaraang taon, ibinalik ng Senate finance committee sa P333 milyon ang panukalang 2026 budget ng AMLC sa ilalim ng pamumuno noon ni Gatchalian, kasunod ng matibay na rekomendasyon ni Lacson.
Ibinalik sa P333 milyon ang budget ng AMLC sa Senate version ng budget bill, mula sa P170.161 milyon na inilaan dito sa National Expenditure Program (NEP).
Noong Setyembre ng nakaraang taon, tiniyak ni Lacson sa AMLC na tutulungan niya itong makuha ang kinakailangang pondo upang labanan ang money laundering at korapsyon, kasabay ng kanyang pagbatikos na “crumbs” lamang ang nakalaan para sa AMLC sa NEP.
Kasunod ito ng pagdinig ng Blue Ribbon Committee kung saan natuklasan na si Sally Santos, may-ari ng Syms Construction, ay nakapag-withdraw ng P457 milyon cash sa loob ng isang araw, noong Marso at Abril 2025, o sa loob ng siyam na araw lamang. Noong panahong iyon, dinala niya ang pera kay dating Public Works engineer Brice Hernandez.
Binanggit noon ni Lacson na nagmungkahi ang AMLC sa Department of Budget and Management ng P333.1 milyon na budget para sa 2026, ngunit P170.161 milyon lamang ang inilaan dito sa ilalim ng NEP.
Iginiit ni Lacson na ang karagdagang pangangailangan ng AMLC ay mas maliit sa komisyon at SOPs na hinihingi ng tiwaling opisyal ng Department of Public Works and Highways at ilang legislator-proponents.
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