Ping Lacson Applauds President’s Anti-Corruption Stance on Flood Control Projects, Budget in SONA

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Monday applauded President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s stance against the corruption that plagued the government’s flood control projects, as well as the potential corruption in the 2026 national budget, in his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Lacson said his favorite quote from the President’s fourth SONA was the one where he told those involved in the corruption in flood control projects to be ashamed of what they did.

“My favorite quote from the President’s 4th State of the Nation Address: MAHIYA NAMAN KAYO!” Lacson said. “I clapped the loudest and the longest when he mentioned about the graft-ridden flood control projects, even calling for an accounting of the same while holding accountable those responsible, whether government officials or private contractors.”

“I clapped even louder when the President announced that he will return the 2026 budget bill passed by Congress not aligned with the National Expenditure Program. That would make my scrutiny of the General Appropriations Bill easier with less insertions and realignments,” Lacson added.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson, Pinalakpakan ang Anti-Corruption Stance ni PBBM sa Flood Control Projects at Budget sa SONA

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Ping Lacson Presses Long-Term, Integrated Master Planning for Flood Control

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Saturday pressed for a long-term and integrated master plan for flood management, in the wake of the devastation caused by days of flooding brought by recent cyclones and the southwest monsoon.

Lacson said it is time to review the present flood management programs, including how almost P2 trillion in funding in the last 15 years was spent, and hold the concerned parties accountable.

“What happened to the huge amounts we spent in the last 15 years? Was there any progress? If the flood control policies and programs were not effective, we should see where we went wrong and make the needed corrections,” he said in Filipino, in interviews on DZRH and DWIZ.

“For accountability, we need to see how the funds were spent and find out who were responsible for it,” he added.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson, Itinulak ang Long-Term, Integrated na Master Planning para sa Flood Control

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Ping Lacson Questions Inequitable, Distorted Flood Control Allocations in 2025 Budget

Inequitable and distorted allocations for flood control projects are back in the national budget – and with a vengeance.

This was one of the initial findings of Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson in his scrutiny of the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which he earlier noted had been mangled beyond recognition.

“We saw an item where a very small barangay in a small town received an appropriation of P1.9 billion. One small town got an appropriation of P10 billion. I will question if they can absorb that amount. Imagine, a P10-billion appropriation for a small town with 10,000 residents. It is an inequitable distribution of the budget,” Lacson said in Filipino in an interview on One News late Wednesday.

“I will seek clarification on this. What happened to the P10 billion appropriated to the small town? We saw that it is near a riverbank, but is it the only town with a riverbank? These appropriations are for flood control,” he added.

In Filipino: Ping Lacson, Kinwestyon ang ‘Inequitable, Distorted’ na Pondo ng Flood Control sa 2025 Budget

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