From Inquirer.net: Government project funding has allegedly been bloated by 328 percent after receiving “double, triple, quadruple and quintuple” appropriations this year–but hidden in the 2024 national budget, former Sen. Panfilo Lacson said.
Continue reading “Lacson reveals some gov’t project funding bloated by staggering 328% [Inquirer]”
A timeline of former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s revelations on the 2024 National Budget:
From the Inquirer: That the singular protest comes from a former senator whose voice has grown hoarse from repeated warnings (many times ignored) about government budget abuses should not be a cause of complacency for our economic managers.
Continue reading “Editorial: Save the PH from debt misuse [Inquirer]”
Stupidity or greed? If reports are accurate that the budget appropriated by Congress for the setup of redundancies in the air traffic control system was diverted to some beautification projects at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), those responsible should spend their next holiday season in jail.
First, an appropriation is a provision of law passed by Congress that must be followed by the implementing agency.
That being the premise, while I cannot speak for the present Congress, I used to grill concerned Executive Department officials on how they used the budget not just for the previous year but even as far back as three years before approving their budget proposal – especially during the committee deliberations where we could directly question the heads of agencies concerned.
Prior to the committee hearings and plenary debates, I diligently reviewed and discussed with my staff both the proposed and past appropriations of major agencies even as far back as three budget years, with emphasis on underutilization and misuse of public funds.
Incidentally, the DoTr is one of the departments with the worst underspending records, year in and year out. The P13 billion must have been part of their unspent appropriations declared as savings then realigned. I hope Sen. Grace Poe’s committee can look more deeply into the history of that particular appropriation.
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We have organized and activated a Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Confidential Funds. Its primary function is to exercise congressional oversight on how such funds are utilized.
The Committee can demand, if it so desires, the submission of pertinent documents of confidential and intelligence funds (CIFs) such as approved intelligence project proposals and the like. The minority bloc is an indispensable part of the select committee.
The present Senate can constitute such a select committee by electing its members and thereafter exercise its functions.
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Umaasa si Senador Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson na ipagpapatuloy ng mga Senador ng 19th Congress ang krusada sa pagbubusisi at pagbabantay sa national budget laban sa mga kuwestiyunableng congressional insertions (a.k.a “pork barrel”) at mga hindi kapaki-pakinabang na appropriations.
“I hope somebody will take the cudgels and continue the fight because while the Supreme Court has ruled pork barrel as unconstitutional, there are so many ways to go around it,” pahayag ni Lacson sa media noong Linggo ng gabi sa Pasay City.
Idinagdag din ng Senador na magtatapos ang termino sa ika-30 ng Hunyo, na makakatulong nang husto sa budget scrutiny ang ilang miyembro ng kaniyang staff na ngayo’y magiging bahagi na rin ng opisina ng ibang mga senador.
Related: Lacson Hopes 19th Congress Senators to Continue Budget Scrutiny
Continue reading “Lacson sa 19th Congress Senators: Ipagpatuloy Niyong Bantayan at Busisiin ang Kaban ng Bayan!”
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is hoping senators in the 19th Congress will continue his crusade of tenaciously scrutinizing the national budget and keeping it free from dubious congressional insertions (a.k.a. “pork barrel”) and useless appropriations.
“I hope somebody will take the cudgels and continue the fight because while the Supreme Court has ruled pork barrel as unconstitutional, there are so many ways to go around it,” Lacson, who ends his Senate term on June 30, told media in Pasay City Sunday evening.
He added some members of his staff who have joined other senators can be a great help in scrutinizing the budget for dubious insertions.
Related: Lacson sa 19th Congress Senators: Ipagpatuloy Niyong Bantayan at Busisiin ang Kaban ng Bayan!
Continue reading “Lacson Hopes 19th Congress Senators to Continue Budget Scrutiny”
Isang mayor sa Bohol ang nagtulak kay independent presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson na siyasatin ang pambansang badyet.
Sa kanyang pakikipagpulong sa mga sectoral groups sa Bohol nitong Martes, pinasalamatan ni Lacson si Jagna Mayor Joseph Rañola sa pagtuturo sa kanya ng mga bagay na kinalaman sa badyet.
“There’s one person who taught me everything. The Filipino people owe it to him na may Sen. Lacson sa Senado na nagtitiyaga at nagkakalkal ng budget,” ani Lacson.
Related: Lacson Thanks Bohol Mayor for Igniting His Passion in Scrutinizing National Budget
Continue reading “Ping, Pinasalamatan si Jagna Mayor Rañola sa Paghikayat Nito na Siyasating Mabuti ang Badyet ng Bayan”
Now it can be told: It was a Boholano mayor who ignited the passion of independent presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson to scrutinize the national budget.
At the start of a meeting with representatives of sectoral groups in Bohol Tuesday, Lacson thanked Jagna Mayor Joseph Rañola for teaching him everything about analyzing the budget.
“There’s one person who taught me everything. The Filipino people owe it to him na may Sen. Lacson sa Senado na nagtitiyaga at nagkakalkal ng budget (There’s one person who taught me everything. Filipinos owe it to him that there is a Senator Lacson who pores through the national budget),” he said.
Related: Ping, Pinasalamatan si Jagna Mayor Rañola sa Paghikayat Nito na Siyasating Mabuti ang Badyet ng Bayan
Continue reading “Lacson Thanks Bohol Mayor for Igniting His Passion in Scrutinizing National Budget”
Mahalagang tiyaking “fat-free” ang mga susunod na pambansang badyet para makabangon ang bansa mula sa epekto ng pandemya.
Dahil dito, ipinahayag ni Senador Ping Lacson ang kanyang suporta sa fiscal consolidation plan ng National Economic and Development Authority para sa susunod na administrasyon.
“Thank you, NEDA. This is what I’ve always been saying during budget deliberations. With a yearly average of P328B UNUSED appropriations for the past 10 years (2010-2020) and P700B in MISUSED/ABUSED budget each year, there couldn’t be a better advice,” ani Lacson, na tumatakbo sa pagka-Presidente sa ilalim ng Partido Reporma, sa kanyang Twitter account nitong Biyernes.
Related: Lacson: Keeping Next National Budgets Fat-Free is Crucial
Continue reading “Ping: ‘Fat-Free’ Na Badyet, Mahalaga sa Pagbangon Mula sa Pandemya”
Keeping the national budgets for the coming years fat-free will be crucial in helping the country recover from the effects of the pandemic.
On this note, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson voiced his support for the National Economic and Development Authority’s fiscal consolidation plan for the next President.
“Thank you NEDA. This is what I’ve always been saying during budget deliberations. With a yearly average of P328B UNUSED appropriations for the past 10 years (2010-2020) and P700B in MISUSED/ABUSED budget each year, there couldn’t be a better advice,” Lacson, who is running for President under Partido Reporma, said on his Twitter account Friday.
Related: Ping: ‘Fat-Free’ Na Badyet, Mahalaga sa Pagbangon Mula sa Pandemya
Continue reading “Lacson: Keeping Next National Budgets Fat-Free is Crucial”
Sa ilalim ng administrasyong Lacson, ang pambansang badyet ay magiging tunay na “People’s Budget” dahil hihikayatin ang mamamayan na magkaroon ng papel sa pagbuo nito.
Ayon kay Partido Reporma standard-bearer Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, sa paraang ito maiiwasan na manakaw ang pondo ng taumbayan.
“Kumpleto ang consultation para matugunan ang pangangailangan at prayoridad,” ani Lacson sa kanyang panayam sa DZRH nitong Sabado.
Related: Lacson Administration to Encourage Public Participation in Crafting ‘People’s Budget’
Continue reading “People’s Budget, Isasakatuparan ni Ping”
Under a Lacson presidency, the national budget will become a true “People’s Budget” as ordinary taxpayers will be encouraged to play a bigger role in crafting it.
Partido Reporma standard-bearer Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said this will prevent public funds from being stolen or misappropriated by the “thieves in government.”
“Kumpleto ang consultation para matugunan ang pangangailangan at prayoridad. (This will enhance the consultations, and address the needs and priorities especially of the local government units),” Lacson said in an interview on DZRH radio Saturday.
Related: People’s Budget, Isasakatuparan ni Ping
Continue reading “Lacson Administration to Encourage Public Participation in Crafting ‘People’s Budget’”
“Unused,” “misused,” at “abused.” Para kay Senador Ping Lacson, ang tatlong gawain na ito ang naglalagay sa panganib sa pambansang badyet at patuloy na ninanakawan ang taumbayan ng nararapat na serbisyo ng gobyerno sa kalusugan at edukasyon. Nangako si Lacson na matutuldukan na ito sa ilalim ng kanyang panunungkulan sakaling mahalal sa pagka-Pangulo sa Mayo 2022.
Ayon kay Lacson, ang hindi maayos na implementasyon ng items sa badyet, dahil sa kakulangan ng kakayahan man o korapsyon, ang dahilan kung kaya bilyun bilyong pondo ang nasasayang na nagamit sana sa pangkabuhayan at social services.
Naka-angkla ang pangakong ito sa kanyang krusada na “Uubusin ang Magnanakaw” at “Aayusin ang Gobyerno”.
Related: 3 Evils Hounding Budget to End Under Lacson Presidency
Continue reading “Tatlong Maling Paggamit ng Pambansang Badyet, Tutuldukan ni Lacson”
“Unused,” “misused,” and “abused.” These three evils that have hounded our national budget and robbed Filipinos of basic government services such as health and education will finally be stopped under a Lacson presidency.
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson vowed this Saturday after noting that the poor implementation of items in the budget – whether through incompetence or corruption – had wasted hundreds of billions of pesos that could have gone to livelihood and social services.
This is in line with his commitments of “Uubusin ang Magnanakaw” (getting rid of thieves) and “Aayusin ang Gobyerno” (fixing the ills of government).
Related: Tatlong Maling Paggamit ng Pambansang Badyet, Tutuldukan ni Lacson
Continue reading “3 Evils Hounding Budget to End Under Lacson Presidency”
GENERAL TRIAS CITY, Cavite – Ituloy ang pagbabantay.
Ito ang mensahe ni Senador Ping Lacson sa kanyang mga senatorial bets – ang maging masigasig at mapanuring bantay ng kaban ng bayan kung saan nakilala si Lacson sa kanyang matagal na panunungkulan bilang senador.
Ayon kay Lacson, sa panahon ngayon pinakaimportante na masiguro na nagagamit nang tama ang kaban ng bayan lalo na’t nasa kalagitnaan pa rin tayo ng pandemya na nakakaapekto sa ating ekonomiya at lumolobong utang ng bansa na aabot na sa P13.42 trillion sa Hunyo 2022.
Related: Lacson to Senatorial Bets: Carry the Torch in Scrutinizing National Budget
Continue reading “Lacson sa Kanyang Senatorial Bets: Patuloy na Bantayan ang Kaban ng Bayan”
GENERAL TRIAS CITY, Cavite – Carry the torch.
With these words, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson passed to his senatorial bets the torch of being the watchdog of the national budget – a title he earned during his Senate days.
Lacson said the task of making sure the public’s funds are used properly has never become more important as now, with a pandemic affecting the economy and a national debt threatening to reach P13.42 trillion by June 2022.
Related: Lacson sa Kanyang Senatorial Bets: Patuloy na Bantayan ang Kaban ng Bayan
Continue reading “Lacson to Senatorial Bets: Carry the Torch in Scrutinizing National Budget”
CARMONA, Cavite – Sa 17 taon na pagbabantay ni Senador Ping Lacson sa pambansang badyet, umaabot na sa P300 bilyon ang natipid ng mamamayang Pilipino.
Ayon kay Lacson na matiyagang nagbabantay sa paggamit sa kaban ng bayan, malamang ay napunta na sa korapsyon ang perang ito kung hindi niya ito ginawa.
“Hindi sa pagmamayabang, kinwenta namin ang natipid ng bansang Pilipinas. Hindi ko akalain sa loob ng 17 taon na ako senador ng Pilipinas, umabot sa P300 bilyon ang natipid ng mamamayang Pilipino,” sabi ni Lacson na tumatayong standard bearer ng Partido Reporma sa isang pagtitipon na naganap dito.
Related: Lacson: Filipinos Saved P300-B in My 17 Years of Budget Scrutiny
Continue reading “Ping: P300-B, Natipid ng Taumbayan sa Loob ng 17 Taong Pagbabantay sa Kaban ng Bayan”
CARMONA, Cavite – Seventeen years of scrutinizing the national budget has saved the Filipino people at least P300 billion, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson disclosed Friday afternoon.
Lacson, a watchdog of the national budget, said this amount in public funds could have been lost to corruption had he not kept his guard up.
“Hindi sa pagmamayabang, kinwenta namin ang natipid ng bansang Pilipinas. Hindi ko akalain sa loob ng 17 taon na ako senador ng Pilipinas, umabot sa P300 bilyon ang natipid ng mamamayang Pilipino (I am not bragging but the Filipino people saved some P300 billion in the 17 years I had been scrutinizing the budget. Even I did not quite expect the amount to be that big),” the Partido Reporma standard bearer said before a gathering here.
Related: Ping: P300-B, Natipid ng Taumbayan sa Loob ng 17 Taong Pagbabantay sa Kaban ng Bayan
Continue reading “Lacson: Filipinos Saved P300-B in My 17 Years of Budget Scrutiny”
Dalawang malalakas na sampal ang tumama sa mga Pinoy sa panahon ng pandemya dahil sa mahigit na P63 bilyong hindi ginamit na pondo sa Bayanihan 2 – kasama ang P46.397 bilyon na “undisbursed” at P17.23 bilyong “unobligated,” ayon kay Senador Panfilo Lacson nitong Lunes.
Isiniwalat ito ni Lacson matapos ang pagsasaliksik ng mga naturang datos bunga ng unang akusasyon ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na sinabi umano ng mambabatas na mababa ang paggugol ng pamahalaan sa mga pondo nito ngayong pandemya.
“We should keep in mind that underspending is determined not by fund releases but by obligations and disbursements. And based on my research, is there underspending? Yes!” banggit ni Lacson sa panayam ng Radyo 5.
Read in ENGLISH: Double Whammy for Pandemic-Hit Filipinos: Lacson Details P63B ‘Unspent’ in Bayanihan 2
Continue reading “Kabilaang Sampal sa mga Pinoy na Hirap sa Pandemya: P63B ‘Underspending’ sa Bayanihan 2 Funds, Idinetalye ni Ping”
No thanks to a P63 billion-plus underspending by the government under Bayanihan 2 – with some P46.397 billion undisbursed and P17.273 billion unobligated – Filipinos whose lives and livelihoods were affected by the pandemic have been hit with a double whammy as much-needed aid did not reach them, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said on Monday.
Lacson said he arrived at the details when he researched the matter, after being wrongfully accused by President Rodrigo Duterte over the weekend of saying the government underspent.
“We should keep in mind that underspending is determined not by fund releases but by obligations and disbursements. And based on my research, is there underspending? Yes!” Lacson said in an interview on Radyo 5.
Basahin sa TAGALOG: Kabilaang Sampal sa mga Pinoy na Hirap sa Pandemya: P63B ‘Underspending’ sa Bayanihan 2 Funds, Idinetalye ni Ping
Continue reading “Double Whammy for Pandemic-Hit Filipinos: Lacson Details P63B ‘Unspent’ in Bayanihan 2”
From Lito Banayo’s column in the Manila Standard: Those who know the man enough also know that he would rather fight the good fight, regardless of the odds, a seeming Don Quixote jousting against the windmills of evil, fighting the unbeatable foe, regardless of public approbation or disapproval from peers—outlier if need be—just to be consistent with what upon his graduation from the Philippine Military Academy in the Class of 1971, he vowed: “What is right must be kept right; what is wrong must be set right.”
No matter who leads the House, the Senate – or at least like-minded senators who choose to be the vanguards against the legislative abuse of the power of the purse – will not be affected.
We will continue to exercise what is expected of us in exercising our mandate and our obligation to the Filipino people in this regard.
*****
Recent developments have given us a sneak peek into the extent of corruption at the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I thus pose this challenge to the corrupt elements in PhilHealth: Declare a moratorium on corruption, at least during the pandemic. Who knows, they might actually learn that it feels good not to be corrupt, and thus develop an aversion to corruption.
Having said that, I also encourage those in PhilHealth who fight corruption in their own little way – the officials and rank-and-file who continue to provide information and documents – not to tire of blowing the whistle on corruption, even if we may not immediately see the results of their acts.
A corruption-free – and more importantly, corruption-averse – PhilHealth will not only ensure much-needed health benefits for all Filipinos in the long run. In the immediate term, it will ease the concerns of lawmakers, myself included, that the budget we pass for PhilHealth to do its job will not be lost to greed.
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QUOTES from INTERVIEWS on ANC and CNN Philippines
Continue reading “Moratorium on Corruption: A Challenge to PhilHealth”
A blog post by Raissa Robles insinuating that I stealthily inserted Section 25 into Republic Act 11479 – the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 – is malicious and untrue, to say the least.
I abhor violations of the legislative process, and have called out members of Congress for such acts – such as when they inserted their pork barrel in the National Budget bill after its approval on third and final reading or ratification of the bicameral conference committee report, and before the bill was enrolled.
Why, then, would I make such a stealthy insertion to the Anti-Terrorism Bill as Robles implies?
At the Commission on Appointments, Sen. Lacson supported the confirmation of Wendel Avisado as Department of Budget and Management Secretary.
Sen. Lacson urged Sec. Avisado to continue budget reforms at the DBM. “(President Duterte) cannot do it without your input and wise counsel. Please continue what you started,” he said.
Earlier, Sen. Lacson thanked Avisado for requiring agencies to obtain certifications from Regional Development Councils before including their projects in the national budget. “This is a step in the right direction that we must follow,” he said.
He also lauded the DBM for withholding at least P80B in congressional realignments at the expense of the “Build, Build, Build” flagship program.
Speaker Cayetano may have a point since the Constitution provides that bills of local application like franchise measures must originate from the House of Representatives.
He is wrong in equating it to the Charter change issue, though, since as practiced and for expediency, we conduct committee hearings on tax and budget measures even before the House transmits its approved version of the bill to the Senate.
What can be considered blatantly violative of the Constitution is if the Senate committee chairperson reports out on the floor for plenary debates the committee report. This is something we have not done and will never do.
Having said that, what I understand to be tackled by the Public Services Committee are not the bills in connection with the ABS-CBN franchise but a filed resolution to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the alleged violations of ABS-CBN that is being questioned by the Office of the Solicitor General before the Supreme Court via a quo warranto petition in which I have earlier expressed reservation out of courtesy to a co-equal branch that has already given due course to the said petition.
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From SunStar Baguio: Senator Panfilo Lacson assured that Baguio City and all local government units in the country will benefit from the Budget Reform for Village Empowerment (BRAVE) Act he filed in the Senate.
Continue reading “Lacson’s budget bill to benefit Baguio, LGUs [SunStar Baguio]”
In an interview, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– possible effects of a ‘shared’ House Speakership
– possible ‘pork’ in the budget, amending the 1987 Constitution
– Senate’s continued independence even with ‘the President’s men’
– passage of death penalty bill
– Sen dela Rosa’s ‘S*** happens’ statement
Quotes from the interview…
Continue reading “#PingSays: ‘Shared’ House Speakership; Death Penalty Bill; Sen. Bato | July 9, 2019”
Kung isasali ang publiko sa pagsusuri ng mga miyembro ng Mataas at Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso sa paghubog ng pambansang gastusin ng pamahalaan taun-taon, mas mahirapang makakalusot ang tangkang pagpapakasasa sa kaban ng bayan ng mga mambabatas na makakapal ang mukha.
Malinaw itong nakasaad sa Senate Bill 24 na inihain ni Senador Panfilo Lacson, kung saan ay pinapahintulutan ang publiko na makapanood nang personal at makasali sa talakayan ng mga mambabatas sa pambansang badyet mula sa komite hanggang sa bicameral conference committee.
“Now is the time for Congress to recognize the importance of the direct participation by people’s organizations and non-government organizations in the budget deliberation,” paliwanag ni Lacson sa kanyang panukala.
Dapat din ma-institutionalize ang legislature-civil society collaboration “to achieve a people-oriented budget as well as establish transparency and accountability in the budget process,” dagdag ni Lacson.
Related: PingBills | Preventing Pork: Lacson Bill Encourages Public Participation in Budget Process
Continue reading “PingBills | Ping: Publiko, Isali Na sa Pagbusisi sa Pambansang Badyet”
To keep greedy parties from inserting “pork” into the national budget, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson has filed a bill institutionalizing the direct participation of taxpayers in the budget process.
Senate Bill 24, the “People’s Participation in the National Budget Process Act of 2019,” provides privileges and incentives for accredited groups that take part in the budgeting process.
“Now is the time for Congress to recognize the importance of the direct participation by people’s organizations and non-government organizations in the budget deliberation,” Lacson, an avowed enemy of the pork barrel system, said in his bill.
Related: PingBills | Ping: Publiko, Isali Na sa Pagbusisi sa Pambansang Badyet
Continue reading “PingBills | Preventing Pork: Lacson Bill Encourages Public Participation in Budget Process”
In an interview on DWIZ, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– sinking of a Philippine fishing boat by a Chinese vessel
– corruption at PhilHealth
– Sen-elect Bong Go’s potential help vs pork
Quotes from the interview…
Continue reading “Interview on DWIZ: On Chinese Vessel Sinking PH Boat; Sen-elect Bong Go’s Help vs ‘Pork’ | June 15, 2019”
Mas maraming mata, mas madaling mabibisto ang tangkang pangungupit ng mga makakapal ang mukhang mambabatas na nais magpakasasa sa kaban ng bayan.
Ito ang pangunahing adhikain ng Senate Bill 2219 na inihain ni Senador Panfilo M. Lacson, na nagpapahintulot sa publiko na makapanood nang personal at makasali sa talakayan ng mga mambabatas sa pambansang badyet.
Layunin ng panukala na magkaroon ng karapatan ang publiko na malaman ang ginagawa ng mambabatas sa badyet mula sa komite ng Senado at Kamara hanggang sa bicameral conference committee.
“Now is the time for Congress to recognize the importance of the direct participation by people’s organizations and non-government organizations in the budget deliberation,” paliwanag ni Lacson sa kanyang panukala.
“We should institutionalize the practice of legislature-civil society collaboration in order to achieve a people-oriented budget as well as establish transparency and accountability in the budget process,” dagdag ng mambabatas.
Related: Stronger Safeguard vs Pork: Lacson Bill Encourages Public to Help Guard Budget Process
Continue reading “Ping, Gumalaw Na Para Mabusisi Rin ng Publiko ang Pambansang Badyet”
Taxpayers themselves will soon serve as the biggest safeguard against pork barrel being sneaked into the national budget, with a bill filed by Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson.
Senate Bill 2219 institutionalizes the direct participation of people’s organizations and non-government organizations in the preparation of the spending bill.
“Now is the time for Congress to recognize the importance of the direct participation by people’s organizations and non-government organizations in the budget deliberation,” Lacson said in his bill.
“We should institutionalize the practice of legislature-civil society collaboration in order to achieve a people-oriented budget as well as establish transparency and accountability in the budget process,” he added.
Related: Ping, Gumalaw Na Para Mabusisi Rin ng Publiko ang Pambansang Badyet
Continue reading “Stronger Safeguard vs Pork: Lacson Bill Encourages Public to Help Guard Budget Process”
In an interview, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– pork in the House version of the 2019 budget
– calls for legalization of marijuana
Quotes from the interview… Continue reading “#PingSays: On pork in the 2019 budget | Dec. 3, 2018”
From the Manila Bulletin: This year, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who has never sought his share of the “pork,” charged that the current budget proposal of P3.7576 trillion includes about P51 billion inserted by lawmakers. He charged that one reason some legislators want the “pork” is they get commissions of 10 percent from the contractors who get to carry out the projects. Continue reading “Editorial: Efforts continue to weed out ‘pork’ from the nat’l budget [Manila Bulletin]”
Sen. Lacson chaired the Senate budget hearings for the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office and the Commission on Human Rights. At the hearing, he voiced support for the CHR’s efforts to set up 3 regional offices, and to make human rights transformational. “Stay relevant, stay focused and be more objective,” he advised the CHR.
Sen. Lacson chairs the Senate hearing for the 2019 budgets of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Dangerous Drugs Board. Video courtesy: Senate of the Philippines.
Tens of billions of pesos in Filipino taxpayers’ money may have been lost due to the implementation of road projects without first settling issues such as right-of-way and slope protection.
Continue reading “At a Glance: Questions Raised by Sen. Lacson in the DPWH Budget for 2019”
In an interview on DZMM, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– Possible pork in the 2019 budget
– SB 1898, transferring police recruits’ training to PNP
Quotes from the interview… Continue reading “Interview on DZMM | Aug. 17, 2018”
From the Inquirer: “If you think pork has left, no it hasn’t left,” said the senator, who renounced pork years ago. Continue reading “Ping: Pork runs into hundreds of billions [Inquirer]”
At the #MeetInquirer multimedia forum, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– ‘Hybrid’ budget
– National ID
– President Duterte’s reported thinking of stepping down
– Addressing the problems at BOC
– Pork barrel system
– PDEA’s need to refocus anti-drug strategy
– Sen. Tito Sotto as Senate President
– Political scene 2022
* video courtesy Inquirer.net Facebook page
Quotes from the interview… Continue reading “Interview at the #MeetInquirer multimedia forum | Aug. 16, 2018”
In an interview, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– the 2019 budget impasse
– President Duterte’s reported thoughts about stepping down or resigning
Quotes from the ambush interview… Continue reading “#PingSays: On the 2019 budget impasse, and President Duterte’s reported thoughts of ‘stepping down’| Aug. 15, 2018”
From the Manila Bulletin: ‘’If not checked, we will be back to the happy ‘pork barrel’ days of legislators in spite of the Supreme Court ruling outlawing the same,’’ Lacson said. Continue reading “Back to ‘happy pork barrel days’ if proposed P3.757-T GAA not checked — Lacson [Manila Bulletin]”
With the policy statement issued by Speaker Arroyo concerning all the congressmen’s earmarks for their respective districts, expect a massive mangling of the National Expenditure Program (NEP).
If not checked, we will be back to the happy ‘pork barrel’ days of legislators in spite of the Supreme Court ruling outlawing the same.
Worse, all the planning involved in the preparation of the national budget will be rendered inutile to the detriment of the medium development plan of the national government, as well as the local development plans submitted by the local government units (LGUs).
I hope some like-minded colleagues in the Senate will also work overtime, as I am determined to do, in scrutinizing the House version of the appropriations bill to expose and slice whatever “pork” there is in whatever form and no matter how deeply hidden, with the end in view of preventing the return of this malevolent practice now declared unconstitutional with finality by the Supreme Court.
*****
“Na-restore lahat yan. On top of that, nadagdagan pa ng P11 billion… Kani-kanino pong mga projects yan?”
Related:
‘Kani-kanino pong mga projects yan?’
Sa mga tinamaan, pasensya na. Trabaho lang
From the Inquirer: Senator Panfilo Lacson questioned on Tuesday the P11-billion raise given to the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) next year as approved in the bicameral conference committee.
Continue reading “Lacson questions budget raise given to DPWH next year [Inquirer]”
