Tag: insertions

Ping: Malaking Congressional Insertions, Tapyasan Muna Para Pambakuna

Puwedeng gamitin para ipambili ng kinakailangan na P20 bilyon na karagdagang bakuna ngayong taon ang bilyon-bilyong congressional insertions na minarkahan ng Department of Budget and Management (DBM) na for later release (FLR).

Iminungkahi ito ni Senador Panfilo Lacson matapos na makausap nitong nakaraang Huwebes ang tatlong czar na nangangasiwa ng mga programa laban sa COVID-19.

“I suggested that the P20 billion can be sourced from the insertions made by lawmakers marked ‘FLR’ because the implementing agencies concerned were not consulted on the insertions and thus could not implement them,” pagbubunyag ni Lacson sa panayam sa kanya ng DWIZ nitong Sabado.

Related: Lacson: Cut Humongous Congressional Insertions for P20B Vaccine Needs
Continue reading “Ping: Malaking Congressional Insertions, Tapyasan Muna Para Pambakuna”

Lacson: Cut Humongous Congressional Insertions for P20B Vaccine Needs

Why not use the humongous congressional insertions tagged by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as “For Later Release” (FLR) to meet the P20-billion requirement for COVID vaccines for this year?

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson raised the possibility following a meeting between him and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and the “three czars” of the government’s COVID response program last Thursday.

“I suggested that the P20 billion can be sourced from the insertions made by lawmakers marked ‘FLR’ because the implementing agencies concerned were not consulted on the insertions and thus could not implement them,” he said in an interview on DWIZ radio Saturday.

Related: Ping: Malaking Congressional Insertions, Tapyasan Muna Para Pambakuna
Continue reading “Lacson: Cut Humongous Congressional Insertions for P20B Vaccine Needs”

Poor Planning, Embedded ROW Costs: Interpellation of the 2021 DPWH Budget

In his interpellation of the DPWH’s proposed budget for 2021, Sen. Lacson questioned several issues including whopping appropriations for several districts, double appropriations, overlapping projects, modifications involving poor planning, and right-of-way costs embedded in several infrastructure projects on top of the P11.45-billion appropriations for ROWs. He also reiterated his call to set aside at least for 2021 non-priority projects such as multi-purpose buildings (MPBs), in favor of helping LGUs hit by recent typhoons.

MORE DETAILS:
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On the Delay in the Passage of the 2019 Budget

If you notice, the budget bill has not been transmitted to Malacañang in spite of the bicam report being ratified by both houses of Congress more than two weeks ago.

I have it on good information that the House leadership is still waiting for several congressmen to finalize the submission of their individual projects. This is not to mention that insertions and realignments were made even after the bicameral report ratification.

While technically speaking, it may not constitute post-legislation enactment since the President has not yet signed the budget measure, we can see clear abuse of discretion especially if done without the concurrence of the Senate; it is also an utter disregard of the Supreme Court’s 2013 landmark ruling.

This latest caper that the House leadership is trying to pull off may also constitute violation of the 1987 Constitution. I’ve talked to some congressmen who expressed anxiety that the pork barrel allocations of at least 60 congressmen were slashed post-bicam ratification.

Whatever it is, these are things that they do for greed. It’s a shame and revolting, to say the least.

*****

Patas Dapat! Ping, Isinapubliko ang Institutional Amendments sa 2019 Budget

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Dapat walang itinatago sa publiko at klaro ang mga detalye ng paglalaanan ng pambansang gastusin ng pamahalaan.

Ito ang matapang na panuntunan ni Senador Panfilo Lacson sa pagsapubliko ng kanyang institutional amendments sa 2019 national budget, na kasalukuyang tinatalakay ng bicameral conference committee.

“In the spirit of transparency, I instructed my staff to make public all my amendments in the 2019 national budget,” paglalahad ni Lacson sa kanyang Twitter account.

“I hope all proponents will do the same to remove all suspicions that the bicameral conference is a venue for sneaky horse trading among legislators,” dagdag ng mambabatas.

Related:
In the Spirit of Transparency: Lacson Details Institutional Amendments to 2019 Budget
List: Institutional Amendments Proposed by Sen. Lacson in the 2019 Budget
Continue reading “Patas Dapat! Ping, Isinapubliko ang Institutional Amendments sa 2019 Budget”

In the Spirit of Transparency: Lacson Details Institutional Amendments to 2019 Budget

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Citing the need for transparency, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson has made public the details of the institutional amendments he proposed in the P3.7-trillion national budget for 2019.

Lacson expressed hope other proponents of amendments to the budget will do the same, to remove speculations that the bicameral conference committee is a venue for “horse trading” and compromises among legislators.

“In the spirit of transparency, I instructed my staff to make public all my amendments in the 2019 national budget. I hope all proponents will do the same to remove all suspicions that the bicameral conference is a venue for sneaky horse trading among legislators,” he said in a post on his Twitter account.

Related:
Patas Dapat! Ping, Isinapubliko ang Institutional Amendments sa 2019 Budget
List: Institutional Amendments Proposed by Sen. Lacson in the 2019 Budget
Continue reading “In the Spirit of Transparency: Lacson Details Institutional Amendments to 2019 Budget”

Interview on DZRH | Jan. 29, 2019

In an interview on DZRH, Sen. Lacson answered questions on:
– institutional vs individual amendments in the 2019 budget
– ‘pork’ in the P3.7-trillion proposed 2019 budget

Quotes from the interview…  Continue reading “Interview on DZRH | Jan. 29, 2019”

Interpellation of the DPWH budget for 2019: “Walk the extra mile”

Highlights of the continuation of Sen. Lacson’s interpellation of the DPWH’s budget:
* Tracing a big chunk of the P75B ‘insertion’ in the DPWH’s 2019 budget
* Proposal to reallocate a part of the P75B to slope protection
* Plea to DPWH to ‘walk the extra mile’ in helping landowners affected by right-of-way issues
* Push to restore a provision in the 2019 budget not to start implementation of projects without settling ROW first

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Quotes from the interpellation… Continue reading “Interpellation of the DPWH budget for 2019: “Walk the extra mile””

Ping: Operasyon sa Hanjin, Saluhin na lang ng Gobyerno

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Image courtesy: HHIC Phils Facebook page

Gobyerno na ang magpatakbo sa nabangkaroteng Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction sa Subic, Zambales.

Ito ang naging mungkahi ni Senador Panfilo Lacson kay Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana sa kasagsagan ng pagdepensa ng mambabatas sa badyet ng Department of National Defense sa Senado.

Nai-convert sa Committee of the Whole ang deliberasyon upang mas lumawak ang talakayan sa isyu ng Hanjin.

“What if the Philippine government will just take over Hanjin and bid out to possible partners, private entities?” tanong ni Lacson kay Lorenzana.

“This will mean potential income for the government,” dagdag pa ng mambabatas.

Related: Lacson: Deleted Budget Insertions Can Fund Potential PH Gov’t Takeover of Hanjin Shipyard
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Lacson: Deleted Budget Insertions Can Fund Potential PH Gov’t Takeover of Hanjin Shipyard

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Image courtesy: HHIC Phils Facebook page

Instead of potentially letting foreign firms do so, it would be better if the Philippine government take over the shipyard of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction in Subic, Zambales.

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson raised this proposal Wednesday during the Senate’s deliberations on the 2019 budget of the Department of National Defense.

Lacson pointed out the government may use “insertions” deleted from the P3.7-trillion proposed 2019 budget, including P75 billion of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

“What if the Philippine government will just take over Hanjin and bid out to possible partners, private entities? This will mean potential income for the government,” said Lacson, who earlier moved to have the Senate constitute itself into a Committee of the Whole to discuss the issue while tackling the DND’s budget.

Related: Ping: Operasyon sa Hanjin, Saluhin na lang ng Gobyerno
Continue reading “Lacson: Deleted Budget Insertions Can Fund Potential PH Gov’t Takeover of Hanjin Shipyard”