Category: Interpellation

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Lacson Revives Proposal to Merge State TV Networks to Save Costs, Improve Public Service

To save on subsidies while improving public service, why not revive a plan to integrate the government’s two television networks?

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson raised this Tuesday during the deliberations of the 2026 budget of the Presidential Communications Office, including state TV networks People’s Television Network (PTV) and Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp. (IBC).

“During the time of then Sec. Sonny Coloma under the presidency of the late President Benigno Aquino III, there was a plan to integrate the (then) three government TV stations and convert the same into a public service broadcaster in the mold of the British Broadcasting Co. This is also budget-related (because) it could save the government from providing subsidy to the stations,” Lacson said. “I think it’s worth studying and considering.”

In Filipino: Lacson, Ibinuhay ang Panukalang Pagsamahin ang State TV Networks para Makatipid at Mapahusay ang Public Service

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Lacson Intervention Leads to Restoration of AMLC’s 2026 Budget

Following the intervention by Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, the Senate finance committee has restored the proposed budget of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for 2026 to P333 million.

Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian informed Lacson that 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.

“We granted the request of AMLC upon your recommendation during the budget deliberations. Remember, you strongly recommended to increase the budget of AMLC considering what’s happening right now. So the new budget of AMLC is P333 million,” Gatchalian said, after Lacson inquired about the restoration of the AMLC’s budget during the deliberation of the agency’s 2026 budget Monday.

“Thank you, Mr. President,” Lacson replied.

In Filipino: Sa Tulong ni Lacson, ‘Restored’ ang 2026 Budget ng AMLC

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Lacson Pushes Maximizing LGUs’ Participation in Crafting Budget

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Thursday pushed anew for maximizing the participation of local government units (LGUs) in the crafting of the national budget, with their priority programs and activities getting a bigger share of the budget pie.

Lacson said that while only 35 percent of projects endorsed by regional development councils are accommodated in the National Expenditure Program, he is hoping this can be enhanced to up to 60 percent.

“(Our effort) is to get them involved in the preparation of the NEP, maximize their participation. In fact the President himself issued Executive Order 82 strengthening and enhancing the participation of regional development councils. And the RDCs rely heavily on local development councils,” he said in his interpellation of the proposed 2026 budget for the DILG’s Support to Local Governance Program.

“Sa ngayon we’re still at 35% of the entire NEP sa budget call. Ang pumapasok sa NEP sa mga 35% output ng RDCs. We want to further enhance that makarating man lang ng 50-60% (For now only 35% of the projects endorsed by the regional development councils are accommodated in the NEP. We want to further enhance that to 50-60%),” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, Itinulak ang Mas Malaking Papel para sa LGU sa Pagbuo ng Budget

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Lacson: NIA Owes Public Answers on Waste of Funds in Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) owes taxpayers a clear explanation for the wastage of funds in the long-delayed Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project in Tarlac, which remains unfinished despite receiving P7.006 billion from 2015 to 2020 alone, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Thursday.

Lacson expressed this concern during the interpellation of the proposed 2026 budget of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), recalling that he raised similar questions about the project in 2020.

“Hindi lang sa budget deliberation natin dapat pagusapan ito. I think we should really focus on the delayed projects and the obvious wastage of public funds, particularly sa Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project (We should take this up not just in the budget deliberations. I think we should focus on the delayed projects and obvious wastage of public funds, particularly in the Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project),” Lacson said.

In Filipino: Lacson: NIA, Dapat Magpaliwanag sa Nasasayang na Pondo sa Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project

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Lacson Pushes P250M Funding for Anti-Corruption Office in Judiciary

To strengthen the Judiciary’s fight against corruption, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Wednesday pushed for the inclusion of funds in the 2026 budget for the newly reorganized Judicial Integrity Office (JIO).

During his interpellation of the 2026 budget of the Judiciary, Lacson noted that operationalizing the JIO would help strengthen accountability among judges, officials and employees of the courts.

“I’m interested in this. (This is part of the) signs of the times (because) as the nomenclature suggests, JIO will be primarily tasked to promote integrity and to address issues of corruption within the Judiciary,” he said.

“While the consciousness is high in addressing corruption, maybe this is the proper time to assist the Supreme Court and the Judiciary to organize immediately the JIO,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, Itinulak ang P250M Pondo para sa Anti-Corruption Office sa Hudikatura

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