Tag: flood control projects

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Lacson: ICI Commissioner Fajardo’s Resignation Stresses Urgency to Pass IPC Measure

The resignation of Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) Commissioner Rossana Fajardo further stresses the urgency to pass a measure creating an Independent People’s Commission (IPC) that will succeed and institutionalize the ICI, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said over the weekend.

Lacson said that while the ICI has been very helpful in gathering information that may lead to the prosecution and arrest of those involved in anomalous flood control projects, it is still an ad hoc body and is not permanent.

“The bill creating the IPC must be passed to institutionalize the function of the ICI and make it part of the law of the land. The ICI is an ad hoc body and is not permanent; it needs a mandate,” he said in Filipino and English in an interview on DWIZ radio late Saturday.

In Filipino: Lacson, Iginiit ang Pagmamadaling Maipasa ang Panukalang IPC Matapos ang Pagbibitiw ni ICI Commissioner Fajardo

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Lacson Welcomes Leviste Efforts to Secure Documents on Corruption in Infra Projects

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson welcomed on Monday efforts – including those by Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste – to secure documents and other materials that may further help in the investigation into the corruption behind anomalous infrastructure projects.

Lacson said that while he is not privy to the contents of the documents Leviste supposedly received from the late Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Ma. Catalina Cabral, he is glad that Leviste has the initiative to secure the files.

“For me, I’m glad that there is a Rep. Leandro Leviste who I think is hardworking enough to secure material documents that may help shed light on the ongoing investigations related to anomalous infra projects involving several corrupt government officials,” he said.

In Filipino: Pagsisikap ni Leviste na Ma-Secure ang mga Dokumento ni Cabral, Welcome kay Lacson

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Lacson: Death of Former DPWH Usec Cabral ‘Unfortunate and Tragic’

The death of former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral was unfortunate and tragic as she could have greatly helped expose the extent of corruption in the department’s infrastructure program, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Friday.

Lacson, who also chairs the Blue Ribbon Committee looking into the flood control mess, said he hopes Cabral may have left notes or files that could help in the ongoing investigations.

“It was unfortunate and tragic that former Undersecretary Catalina Cabral would end her life at a time when she could have significantly contributed to blowing wide open the extent of corruption not only in flood control projects but all other anomalies in the infrastructure program of the DPWH,” he said.

In Filipino: Lacson: Pagkamatay ni Dating DPWH Usec Cabral, ‘Unfortunate and Tragic’

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Lacson: Budget Transparency Efforts Must Continue Despite ‘Birth Pains’

Despite “birth pains” in the form of stalemates in the bicameral conference committee meetings on the 2026 budget bill, lawmakers must press on with their efforts to ensure transparency, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson also stressed that Filipinos – and not just lawmakers – must make sure the bitter lessons from the anomalous flood control project scandal are not repeated if the country is to recover and move forward.

“Unprecedented ito. Pinaguusapan nga namin kahapon. Sabi ko kay Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, alam mo itong nangyaring deadlock at usaping ganyan, birth pains ito kasi di pa nangyari ang ganito ka-transparent especially ang bicam. Kasi alam natin ang kalakaran noong nakaraan. So birth pains ito (What we experienced has been unprecedented. We talked about this Tuesday and I told Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian that the deadlocks are part of the birth pains because we haven’t been this transparent especially in the bicam. And we know what took place in past years. So this is part of birth pains),” he said in an interview on DZRH radio.

“Ito ang pagkakataon para ireporma natin ang budgeting system natin. Kung di pa tayo uusad after itong napakasakit na experience sa flood control project scandal, wala na talaga tayong pagasa (This is our chance to reform our budgeting system. If we cannot learn from the painful experience from the flood control project scandal, then we are hopeless),” he added, in a separate interview on DZBB radio.

In Filipino: Lacson: Transparency sa Badyet, Dapat Ipagpatuloy sa Kabila ng ‘Birth Pains’

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Lacson: We Stand Four-Square Behind the Senate Panel to Uphold Full Transparency in Budget Bill

We stand four-square behind the efforts of the Senate panel behind Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian to uphold full transparency in the 2026 budget bill.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed this Tuesday amid another issue that surfaced, this time involving farm-to-market (FMR) road projects that were not properly identified.

He said this came as two other issues involving the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)’s appeal to restore its budget cuts are nearing a resolution after DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon apologized to the Senate for submitting “insufficient data” during the bicameral deliberations.

“With equal urgency and importance is the new FMR issue raised by Sen. Francis Pangilinan. At least P5 billion worth of FMR projects are not properly identified, even revised from what the Senate approved on third reading: no grid coordinates, description, etc. Based on our majority caucus yesterday, we cannot and will not allow that. For the sake of full transparency, we stand four-square behind our panel under the leadership of its chairman, Sen. Gatchalian,” Lacson said.

In Filipino: Lacson: Buo ang Suporta sa Senate Panel para Itaguyod ang Ganap na Transparency sa Budget Bill

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