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