Tag: DBM

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Where are We? Lacson Presses DOH Over ‘Missed’ UHC Targets

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Friday questioned the usefulness of the government’s financing strategies for the Universal Health Care (UHC) program as he noted the spending targets repeatedly changed while actual spending did not consistently align with those targets.

Lacson noted that the DOH adopted successive financing plans for UHC in 2022 alone, with varying low, medium and high spending targets – raising questions on how progress in program implementation could be properly measured.

In Filipino: ‘Where are We?’ Lacson, Tinanong ang DOH sa Pagmintis sa UHC Targets

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Lacson: Why Not Defund Persistently Nonperforming GOCCs?

Why not defund persistently nonperforming government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) instead of merely reducing their subsidies, so the government can maximize its limited resources?

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson raised this possibility Thursday as he asked the government’s economic managers about their policy on GOCCs that still receive subsidies every year despite persistently generating no revenues or providing little or no apparent benefit.

In Filipino: Lacson: Bakit Hindi I-Defund ang mga Patuloy na Nonperforming GOCC?

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Lacson to DBM: How Can We Call Budget Preparation ‘Execution-Ready’ When It Has Lump Sums?

How can we call the preparation of the national budget “execution-ready” when it allows appropriations for “blank” items, or those lacking key details?

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson posed this question Thursday to the Department of Budget and Management in response to the statement of DBM Secretary Kim Robert de Leon that the 2027 budget is execution-ready.

In Filipino: Lacson sa DBM: Bakit Tinawag na ‘Execution-Ready’ ang Budget Preparation Kung May Lump Sums?

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Lacson Flags ‘Questionable’ Lump-Sum Items for Infra Projects in Proposed 2027 Budget, to Seek Clarification

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Saturday flagged some “questionable” lump sum appropriations for infrastructure projects of a government agency in the P7.2-trillion proposed national budget for 2027, adding he will seek an explanation or clarification from the officials concerned.

Lacson said he may formally raise the issue at the briefing of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), which is initially scheduled on Aug. 27.

“We spotted lump sum appropriations that we don’t think should be lump sum. When we say lump sum appropriations, an aggregate amount is appropriated for a project, activity or program (PAP), or group of projects without detailing the breakdown of the cost of each PAP,” he said in English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.

“We will seek clarification on the details of these lump sum appropriations. Lump sum appropriations are allowed for calamity funds because we cannot predict when calamities occur. But it becomes questionable if it’s for infrastructure projects. That is what we saw and we will ask for details on the matter,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, May Nasilip na ‘Questionable’ Lump-Sum Items para sa Infra Projects sa Panukalang 2027 Budget

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Lacson Pushes Budget Reforms to Ensure Transparency, Alignment, Realistic Execution

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Tuesday renewed his push for reforms that would enhance transparency in government spending, alignment between the national government and local government units (LGUs), and flexibility for implementing projects, activities, and programs.

At the Senate finance committee’s hearing, Lacson raised major concerns that include the “disappearance” of the Unified Accounts Code Structure (UACS), the need to synchronize local development councils’ outputs with national budget calls, and limitations on unprogrammed appropriations.

Lacson, a watchdog of the national budget, pushed for the strict implementation of the UACS system used to track the projects for funding in the budget bill, noting that the UACS would disappear once the National Expenditure Program (NEP) is transformed into the House and Senate versions or authorization phase of the budget cycle – then reappear on the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)’s website during implementation of the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

In Filipino: Lacson, Itinulak ang Reporma sa Badyet para sa Transparency, Pagkakaugnay, at Realistic na Pagpapatupad

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