Lacson: Legislative Insertions Major Cause of DOH Project Delays, Underutilization

Legislative insertions in the national budget are a major cause of delays and underutilization of funds for the Department of Health (DOH)’s projects as lawmakers add projects without consulting the agency, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Friday.

During the Senate finance committee’s hearing for the DOH’s 2027 budget, Lacson said the problem is similar to what he observed in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) where inserted projects could not be readily implemented because they were not in its original plans.

In Filipino: Lacson: Legislative Insertions Pangunahing Dahilan ng Pagkaantala, Underutilization sa mga Proyekto ng DOH

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Where are We? Lacson Presses DOH Over ‘Missed’ UHC Targets

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Friday questioned the usefulness of the government’s financing strategies for the Universal Health Care (UHC) program as he noted the spending targets repeatedly changed while actual spending did not consistently align with those targets.

Lacson noted that the DOH adopted successive financing plans for UHC in 2022 alone, with varying low, medium and high spending targets – raising questions on how progress in program implementation could be properly measured.

In Filipino: ‘Where are We?’ Lacson, Tinanong ang DOH sa Pagmintis sa UHC Targets

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Lacson Pushes Boost for Ombudsman 2027 Budget, Expanded Fiscal Autonomy

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is pushing for a higher 2027 budget and expanded fiscal autonomy for the Office of the Ombudsman similar to the Judiciary Fiscal Autonomy Act (RA 12233), while proposing that a portion of funds restituted to the national government in corruption cases including the flood control scandal be earmarked to augment the agency’s budget.

Lacson raised these proposals Thursday morning during the Senate finance committee’s hearing tackling the Office of the Ombudsman’s proposed budget for 2027.

In Filipino: Lacson, Isinusulong ang Dagdag-Badyet, Pinalawak na Fiscal Autonomy para sa Ombudsman

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Lacson: Why Not Defund Persistently Nonperforming GOCCs?

Why not defund persistently nonperforming government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) instead of merely reducing their subsidies, so the government can maximize its limited resources?

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson raised this possibility Thursday as he asked the government’s economic managers about their policy on GOCCs that still receive subsidies every year despite persistently generating no revenues or providing little or no apparent benefit.

In Filipino: Lacson: Bakit Hindi I-Defund ang mga Patuloy na Nonperforming GOCC?

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Lacson to DBM: How Can We Call Budget Preparation ‘Execution-Ready’ When It Has Lump Sums?

How can we call the preparation of the national budget “execution-ready” when it allows appropriations for “blank” items, or those lacking key details?

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson posed this question Thursday to the Department of Budget and Management in response to the statement of DBM Secretary Kim Robert de Leon that the 2027 budget is execution-ready.

In Filipino: Lacson sa DBM: Bakit Tinawag na ‘Execution-Ready’ ang Budget Preparation Kung May Lump Sums?

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