Tag: budget

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Lacson: Why Did Ex-DPWH Chief Bonoan Take Project ‘Memos’ from ‘Outsiders’?

Why did ex-Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Sec. Manuel Bonoan receive handwritten “memos” from civilians or non-organic DPWH personnel on which projects to endorse when he headed the department?

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson bared this Tuesday as the Senate continues to look into the effects of corruption behind anomalous flood control and other infrastructure projects.

“I am baffled by the documents I saw, where Bonoan received handwritten memos that turned out to be from civilians or non-organic DPWH personnel. How did these memos, which were scribbled on Post-It notes, get to Bonoan?” Lacson said in Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.

“That’s the hard part. Such communications didn’t go through the official channels of the department. Why is the secretary dealing with them directly?” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Ex-DPWH Chief Bonoan Tumanggap ng mga “Memo” Mula sa Tagalabas?

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Lacson to Fellow Lawmakers: Revelations on Huge Budget Insertions a Wake-Up Call to Make 2026 Budget Pork-Free

The revelations on humongous budget insertions by the Senate and House of Representatives in the 2025 budget is not meant to put anyone on the spot but be a chance for both houses of Congress to heed the public’s outrage against corruption and ensure a pork-free budget for 2026 and beyond, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday.

Lacson said he explained this to fellow senators in a caucus Monday, where some of them voiced concerns that the revelation over the insertions could affect the institution.

“I can actually feel and understand completely the sentiments expressed by my colleagues, at least the members of the majority bloc during our majority caucus yesterday, so I explained to them that the mention of ‘almost all senators’ was not intended to put them or the whole Senate on the spot, nor did I have the intention of calling them out particularly,” Lacson said.

“The overarching reason for my disclosure or revelation was to point out that we must accept the fact that we are all in crisis owing to the recent anomalies involving the substandard and even ghost flood control projects unearthed in the course of the Blue Ribbon Committee hearings and other similar investigations,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson sa mga Kapwa Mambabatas: Pagbubunyag ng Malalaking Budget Insertions, Pampagising Para Alisin ang Pork sa Budget

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Lacson: Budget Insertions Part of Congress’ Mandate, but Abused by Lawmakers

Budget insertions by themselves are not illegal nor evil as they are part of the mandate of lawmakers in shaping the national budget – but this mandate has been abused by lawmakers, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Monday as he bared the House of Representatives has its own share of humongous amendments a.k.a. insertions in the 2025 budget.

Lacson, who earned a reputation as a no-nonsense watchdog of the national budget, reiterated his call for transparency and accountability from lawmakers in the deliberations for the 2026 budget.

“Introducing insertions are not illegal. It is our mandate as lawmakers to review the National Expenditure Program and introduce amendments. The problem is that many lawmakers abused this mandate,” Lacson said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.

“I hope that in 2026, we will practice self-restraint. The people are angry so we must reform the way we pass the budget,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Budget Insertions Mandato ng Mambabatas, Pero Naabuso sa Kongreso

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Lacson Pushes Ban on Infra Project Insertions in Budget

To prevent a repeat of the massive corruption behind anomalous flood control and other infrastructure projects, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson pushed Sunday to ban lawmakers from making insertions for infrastructure projects in the budget bill.

Lacson stressed that the scale of corruption that has triggered public outrage and fueled protest actions all stem from the insertions made by greedy lawmakers.

“Both houses of Congress must agree not to make insertions for infrastructure projects. Institutional amendments are allowed but other insertions must be removed,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.

“This should apply not just to unprogrammed appropriations. Lawmakers simply must not meddle in infrastructure projects because that is the root of this massive corruption,” he added. “If we analyze the situation, Congress starts the corruption because of numerous insertions involving hundreds of billions of pesos.”

In Filipino: Lacson: Infra Project Insertions sa Budget, Dapat I-Ban

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Lacson Backs DBM Budget Transparency Efforts, Pushes Stronger Digital Tracking

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson voiced support for the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)’s platform to make the national budget transparent and accessible to the public, even as he offered suggestions to strengthen them.

Lacson, an eagle-eyed watchdog of the national budget, particularly inquired on whether the DBM has the technology to track changes in the crafting of the national budget, including proponents of amendments.

“Is there any current technology available to keep your system transparent yet secure, to enable us in both houses of Congress to track movements of the budget, from what is provided by the National Expenditure Program and going forward, to track who proposed which amendments to the General Appropriations Act?” he said in a mix of English and FIlipino at the briefing of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC).

In Filipino: Lacson Suporta ang Inisyatiba ng DBM para sa Budget Transparency, Itinulak ang Mas Malakas na Digital Tracking

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