Tag: budget

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Ping Lacson Bill Institutes Public Participation in Budget Deliberations

To prevent a repeat of the mangling of the national budget especially behind closed doors, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson has filed a bill institutionalizing the participation of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the preparation of the national budget.

Lacson, in his bill, stressed anew the need for mechanisms that ensure that the entire budget process adheres to the principles of good governance, to assure Filipino taxpayers that their money is spent effectively and transparently.

“Specifically, this bill aims to institutionalize people’s participation in budget deliberations at various levels of government – national, provincial, municipal, and down to the barangay level. Without underestimating and undermining the capacities of elected representatives in crafting a budget that is needed by a particular locality, this bill gives full play to the people’s right to participate in all levels of social, political, and economic decision-making,” Lacson, who had filed similar bills in past Congresses, said in Senate Bill 32 or “An Act Institutionalizing the Participation of Civil Society Organizations in the Preparation and Authorization Process of the Annual National Budget, Providing Effective Mechanisms Therefor and for Other Purposes.”

“Furthermore, it institutionalizes people’s access to information with regard to how taxpayers’ money is being spent. In a way, this bill serves as our people’s safeguard against corruption through public oversight on how our taxes our being spent,” he added.

In Filipino: Panukalang Batas ni Ping Lacson, Titiyakin ang Pakikilahok ng Publiko sa Paghubog ng Badyet

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On Opening the Budget Bicam Deliberations to the Public

I have always fought for opening the bicameral conference deliberations on the budget measure to the public, or at least to accredited non-government organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs) and the media.

One of the 10 priority bills that I will file starting June 30 is a bill to ensure transparency in the bicam deliberations on the national budget bill – a proposed measure I have filed in past Congresses. I hope there will be a counterpart bill in the House for my bill in the Senate.

That being said, I am hopeful that such transparency will materialize in the 20th Congress, as House members led by Speaker Martin Romualdez have voiced support for opening the bicam deliberations to the public.

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In Filipino: Sa Pagbukas ng Budget Bicam Deliberations sa Publiko

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Ping Lacson Starts Reviewing the Mangling of the 2025 Budget

Incoming Senator Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, together with his prospective staff, have started taking a deep dive into how the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) or national budget was mangled, to prevent a possible similar butchering of the national budget bill for next year.

Lacson said they are reviewing how changes were made from the National Expenditure Program (NEP) to the versions of the budget bill in the House, Senate, and bicameral conference committee, all the way to the enrolled bill.

“We are juxtaposing the NEP, the House, Senate and bicameral versions of the bill, and the enrolled bill to see how the 2025 budget was mangled. We are looking at the NEP or President’s budget and what changes were made in the House version, the Senate version, and the bicam version,” he said in Filipino, in an interview on One News late Thursday.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson, Sinimulan ang Pag-Review sa Pagkalikot sa 2025 Budget

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Ping Lacson: Having Public, Including President, as Observers in Budget Bicam Deliberations to Boost Transparency

There is nothing wrong in having the public – including the President – as observers in the bicameral conference committee deliberations on the national budget as it will ensure transparency on the matter, incoming Senator Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed Saturday afternoon.

Lacson also maintained that the development plans of local government units (LGUs) must be heard in the preparation of the national budget, and this can best be done through the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) and not any one agency.

“Why prevent the President from being an observer? Ideally, any Filipino should be allowed to observe the bicameral deliberations. In my bill, I limited the observers to accredited non-government organizations and civil society groups so the venue will not be too crowded. But the bottom line is that someone will be there to observe and guard the proceedings,” Lacson, who earned a reputation as a watchdog of the budget, said in Filipino in an interview on DWIZ radio.

“I am in favor of the President and his Cabinet being there as observers – along with accredited NGOs and CSOs, and even the media,” he added.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson: Pag-Obserba ng Publiko, Kabilang ang Pangulo, sa Budget Bicam Deliberations Kailangan para Tiyakin ang Transparency

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Ping Lacson Backs PBBM as Observer in Budget Deliberations

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s prospective role as an observer in the bicameral deliberations on the 2026 national budget should send a “clear and strong signal” to Congress against making a mockery of the budget process.

On this note, Senator-elect Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson supported Wednesday the President’s intention to keep tabs on the budget process, including possibly sitting as an observer at the bicameral conference committee.

“As long as the President will not actively participate in the bicameral conference deliberations and just sit as an observer, lest he be misunderstood as encroaching in the time-honored tradition of the legislature’s exercise of the ‘power of the purse,’ I support such gesture as it will send a clear and very strong signal to the members of Congress not to make a mockery of our role in the budget process and that we should not treat the national budget as individual prerogatives, not aligned with the policy direction of the administration towards achieving the country’s development goals in 2026 and beyond,” Lacson said.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson, Suportado ang Pagiging Observer ni PBBM sa Budget Deliberations

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