Tag: Ayuda

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Lacson Questions ‘Uniform’ P180-Million Evacuation Center Allocations Per Region, ‘Ayuda’ in Proposed 2027 Budget

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Tuesday questioned a “uniform” P180-million lump sum allocation for evacuation centers in each of the country’s 17 regions totaling more than P3 billion – as well as an apparent heavy allocation for “ayuda” or social services – under the proposed 2027 national budget.

Lacson said his and his staff’s scrutiny of the National Expenditure Program showed the proposed evacuation center allocations lacked key details, including specific locations where they would be built.

“We observed that each of the 17 regions was given a P180-million lump sum for evacuation centers. There were no details on where they would be located. The P180 million was uniformly distributed to each region,” he said in English and Filipino in an interview on DZXL radio.

“Was there any study to determine if a region needed more evacuation centers? There seemed to be none. That is not acceptable. There were no specifications or locations. Each of Regions 1 to 17 was simply given P180 million for a total of more than P3 billion,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson Kinuwestiyon ang Tig-P180M Alokasyon para sa Evacuation Center Bawat Rehiyon, ‘Ayuda’ sa Panukalang 2027 Budget

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Lacson Welcomes Veto of Non-Essential Allocations, Prohibition on Political Involvement in ‘Ayuda’ in 2026 Budget

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson welcomed on Monday President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s veto of non-essential funds under the unprogrammed appropriations – as well as the prohibition of political involvement in the distribution of “ayuda” – in the newly signed Republic Act 12314, the national budget for 2026.

Lacson noted two of the items that survived the veto – the government support to foreign-assisted projects and the revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program – are needed for economic development and national security.

During deliberations on the then budget bill last December, Lacson pushed for the trimming of the unprogrammed allocations to include only funds for legitimate items such as foreign-assisted projects and the AFP modernization program.

“P150.905 billion is the exact amount that survived the veto, of which, P97.3 billion for Government Support to Foreign-Assisted Projects, P3.6 billion for Program on Risk Management, and P50 billion for the revised AFP Modernization Program. All other seven items under UA were vetoed,” Lacson said.

“We need the government support to Foreign Assisted Projects and the Revised AFP Modernization Program as our commitments to our economic development and national security,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, Ikinatuwa ang Pag-Veto sa Di-Mahahalagang Alokasyon at Pagbawal sa Pag-Epal sa ‘Ayuda’ sa 2026 Budget

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Lacson: Briefly Reenacted 2025 Budget Better than Rushed, Corruption-Prone 2026 Budget

A briefly reenacted 2025 budget would be preferable to rushing the passage of the 2026 version only to find it unresponsive to the needs of the times – or worse, prone to corruption, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson said this after Executive Secretary Ralph Recto was quoted as saying President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is to sign the P6.793-trillion budget for 2026 in the first week of January, meaning a reenacted budget for a few days.

He also reiterated that the key, even after the budget is finally signed into law, should still be continued vigilance in monitoring, reporting, and even shaming wrongdoing in government.

“This is exactly what I said earlier – better a reenacted budget in January, or even in the first quarter of 2026, than rushing the passage of a national budget that is not responsive to the call of the times, amidst the yet unresolved investigations on the misuse and abuse of the current and previous expenditure programs, particularly involving flood control projects,” said Lacson, a long-time watchdog of the national budget.

In Filipino: Lacson: Panandaliang Reenacted 2025 Budget, Mas Mainam kaysa Minadali at Corruption-Prone na 2026 Budget

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Lacson to Scrutinize Dubious Farm-to-Market Roads, ‘Ayuda’ Programs, Super Health Centers Linked to P255B DPWH Fund Realignment

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson intends to scrutinize potentially dubious farm-to-market roads, “ayuda” programs and “Super Health Centers” that “benefited” from some P255.5 billion from flood control project funds of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the 2026 budget.

Lacson said an initial check of the realignments showed the funds went to these items, as well as some “ayuda” programs that may be funded by unprogrammed appropriations.

Part of the realignments also went to the Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP) that funds the Super Health Centers, he added.

“Much of the realignments went to farm-to-market roads. The question is, is the list of such roads from the Department of Agriculture or from congressmen?” Lacson said.

“Some ayuda programs are to be funded by unprogrammed appropriations. We intend to uproot these and return them to the regular budget,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, Bubusisiin ang Kahina-hinalang Farm-to-Market Roads, ‘Ayuda’ Programs, at Super Health Centers na Pinondohan Mula sa P255B DPWH Fund Realignment

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Ping Lacson Bill Frees MAIFIP from Politics, Consolidates It Under Universal Health Care Act

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson has filed a bill seeking to free the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) Program of the Department of Health from politics, by placing it under the framework of the Universal Health Care Act – and penalizing political exploitation and manipulation of the program.

In Senate Bill 404 titled the “Universal Medical Assistance Act of 2025,” Lacson said this consolidation will eliminate “overlaps and redundancies” with other medical assistance programs implemented across various government agencies.

“By consolidating MAIFIP within the framework of the UHC, we can effectively address the issue of payment delays for medical services rendered by DOH-licensed and/or accredited health facilities because of political interference. The proposed legislation also aims to eliminate the politicization of the program, thus curbing the culture of mendicancy and political patronage,” he said.

“A coherent and unified health system under Universal Healthcare must be established to effectively address the needs of indigent and marginalized families. Individuals, regardless of economic status, who suffer from catastrophic illnesses and similar medical conditions and its corresponding substantial financial burdens, should meaningfully benefit from the government’s comprehensive safety net and enjoy affordable and accessible health services — free from political interventions that shamelessly exploit government programs to curry public favor,” he added.

In Filipino: Panukala ni Ping Lacson, Aalisin ang Pamumulitika sa MAIFIP

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