Ping Lacson More Emboldened to Fight Pork in Budget after President’s SONA

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson is now more emboldened to fight pork barrel and other anomalies in the budget, after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stressed there should be no repeat of the mangling of the 2025 budget in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday.

Lacson, an avowed enemy of the pork barrel system, also cited other positive developments from House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman that further fuel his drive to keep the budgeting process transparent and corruption-free.

“I will help because this is something I have been doing for so long. But now I and my staff are more emboldened to go after pork barrel because the President himself said he will not sign a budget bill that does not align with the National Expenditure Program,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio Tuesday.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson, Lalong Lumakas ang Loob na Labanan ang ‘Pork’ sa Budget Matapos ang SONA ng Pangulo

Continue reading “Ping Lacson More Emboldened to Fight Pork in Budget after President’s SONA”

Ping Lacson to Fellow Lawmakers: Take Cue from President’s SONA Warnings on Budget, Flood Control

Members of both houses of Congress should take their cue from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “Mahiya naman kayo” pronouncement in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) regarding anomalies in the government’s flood control programs and in the national budget.

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed this on Tuesday even as he said the President’s order to inventory flood control programs to see which are failures and ghost projects – as well as finding anomalous items in the budget bill – may be “tedious but workable.”

“The President capped his SONA with a pronouncement that he knows will hit his audience – that’s us lawmakers… The pronouncement that those involved in anomalies in the flood control programs and the national budget should be ashamed should cut to the bone. Those who don’t feel any shame would simply be bad to the bone,” he said in an interview on DZBB radio.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson sa Kapwa Mambabatas: Bigyang Pansin ang Patama ng Pangulo sa SONA Tungkol sa Budget at Flood Control

Continue reading “Ping Lacson to Fellow Lawmakers: Take Cue from President’s SONA Warnings on Budget, Flood Control”

Ping Lacson: Half of P2-Trillion Flood Control Allocations May Have Been Lost to Corruption

Half of the almost P2 trillion allocations for flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) may have been lost to corruption, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Sunday.

Lacson also reiterated his call for a review of the government’s mechanisms for preparation, planning and implementation in addressing the flooding problem.

“Climate change has been tagged as a factor in the flooding problem but it has become a convenient excuse for some. We need to see where we can improve in terms of preparation, planning and implementation. We also cannot discount that of the P2 trillion in allocations, P1 trillion may have ended up in some people’s pockets,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson: P1 Trilyon sa Pondong Pang-Flood Control, Maaaring Nawala sa Katiwalian

Continue reading “Ping Lacson: Half of P2-Trillion Flood Control Allocations May Have Been Lost to Corruption”

Ping Lacson: ‘Evidence’ in VP Duterte Trial Can Still Be Tackled in Other Fora

If the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte will not push through this year following the Supreme Court’s ruling on the issue, there are other fora where the supposed “evidence” in the case can be tackled, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Sunday.

Lacson said one such forum to take up the use of confidential and intelligence funds would be the budget deliberation of agencies such as the Office of the Vice President and Department of Education, where he will actively take part.

“There are many fora where the public will know what happened to the CIF. One is the budget deliberations of agencies like the OVP and DepEd. I will be actively asking questions,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio. “We can ask questions on the issue during the budget deliberations.”

In FiIipino: Ping Lacson: ‘Ebidensya’ sa Trial ni VP Duterte, Pwede Pang Talakayin sa Ibang Forum

Continue reading “Ping Lacson: ‘Evidence’ in VP Duterte Trial Can Still Be Tackled in Other Fora”

Ping Lacson to Fellow Senator-Judges: Behave and Speak Like Judges

Senator-judges in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte must behave and speak like judges, as the public will observe their demeanor during the trial, incoming Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Sunday.

Lacson said this means being impartial, only speaking to clarify statements from the defense or prosecution, and not expressing their personal opinions on the case.

“Our demeanor will be observed by the public. We must always bear in mind that we are senator-judges, not members of the defense or prosecution team,” Lacson said in Filipino, in an interview on DZBB radio.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson sa Kapwa Senator-Judges: Kumilos at Magsalita na Parang Huwes

Continue reading “Ping Lacson to Fellow Senator-Judges: Behave and Speak Like Judges”