Tag: pork barrel

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Lacson: Eradicating Corruption Key to Upgrading Defense Capability, Especially in WPS

Eradicating corruption is crucial for the Philippines to rise as an economic power like Japan, and to strengthen its military and defense capabilities including in the West Philippine Sea, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Saturday.

Lacson cited Japan’s recent move to seize a Chinese fishing vessel and arrest its skipper off southern Japan – months after Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae hinted Japan may intervene militarily should China try to forcibly take Taiwan.

“Wow Japan! If only the Philippines can eradicate corruption, so we may become an economic power, then we can upgrade our military capability – ergo, we are no longer a pushover country,” Lacson said on X.

In Filipino: Lacson: Pagpuksa sa Katiwalian, Susi sa Pagpapalakas ng Defense Capability, Lalo na sa WPS

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Lacson Flags P2.5B ‘Allocables’ Tied to Imee in 2025 NEP; Questions Silence in Bicam

People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson stressed this on Sunday as he flagged P2.5 billion in allocables tied to Sen. Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios “Imee” Marcos in the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP), as well as her silence on supposed “giniling” or “pork” when the 2026 budget bill was being tackled at the bicameral conference level.

Lacson said these are based on documents he received from the camp of the late Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Undersecretary Catalina Cabral.

“Marcos had allocables worth P2.5 billion in the NEP according to the Cabral files. Most allocables were moved from the NEP to the 2025 GAA via insertions in the bicam where Sen. Marcos had at least the same amount based on DPWH records… While part of the insertions were flagged for later release, part of her FLR allocables had been released,” he said in English and Filipino, in an interview on DZBB radio.

“She makes a lot of noise criticizing the 2026 budget for having ‘pork’ but she had ‘pork’ in the budget, at least in the 2025 GAA. So she has no moral ascendancy to criticize. In the first place, she was a member of the Senate contingent in the bicameral conference committee. Why didn’t she raise the issue that there was pork? We heard nothing from her then, when she was in the bicam,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, Sinita ang P2.5B ‘Allocables’ ni Imee sa 2025 NEP; Kinuwestiyon ang Katahimikan sa Bicam

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Lacson Votes Yes to Ratification of 2026 Budget Bill, But With Strong Reservations

For the first time in a long while, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson cast his affirmative vote on Monday to ratify the P6.793-trillion budget for 2026 – but with a strong reservation due to items that keep the door open to potential political patronage.

In his manifestation on the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the 2026 budget bill, Lacson particularly stressed his reservation on appropriations for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially-Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) and Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS).

He manifested as well his reservation over other social welfare programs or “ayuda” that are “discretionary and duplicative of institutionalized and rules-based programs, and other similar budget items that lack agency requests.”

“For the first time in a long while, I am voting YES for the ratification of the bicameral report on the proposed national budget for 2026. HOWEVER, WITH THIS AFFIRMATIVE VOTE COMES A STRONG RESERVATION,” he said.

“The national budget must not be a political tool or spoils for those in power. We deserve a budget that truly serves the people, free from political exploitation,” he stressed. “While we have made headway, the path forward remains extensive.”

In Filipino: Lacson, Bumoto ng Yes sa Ratipikasyon ng 2026 Budget Bill Nguni’t May ‘Strong Reservations’

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Lacson: Briefly Reenacted 2025 Budget Better than Rushed, Corruption-Prone 2026 Budget

A briefly reenacted 2025 budget would be preferable to rushing the passage of the 2026 version only to find it unresponsive to the needs of the times – or worse, prone to corruption, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson said this after Executive Secretary Ralph Recto was quoted as saying President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is to sign the P6.793-trillion budget for 2026 in the first week of January, meaning a reenacted budget for a few days.

He also reiterated that the key, even after the budget is finally signed into law, should still be continued vigilance in monitoring, reporting, and even shaming wrongdoing in government.

“This is exactly what I said earlier – better a reenacted budget in January, or even in the first quarter of 2026, than rushing the passage of a national budget that is not responsive to the call of the times, amidst the yet unresolved investigations on the misuse and abuse of the current and previous expenditure programs, particularly involving flood control projects,” said Lacson, a long-time watchdog of the national budget.

In Filipino: Lacson: Panandaliang Reenacted 2025 Budget, Mas Mainam kaysa Minadali at Corruption-Prone na 2026 Budget

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Lacson: No Holiday Furlough for Discaya, 3 Former DPWH Engineers

Due to security concerns, there will be no holiday furlough for contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya II and three former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers detained in the Senate in connection with the flood control project scandal, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Tuesday.

Lacson, who also chairs the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probing the issue, said Senate President Vicente Sotto III approved his recommendation to deny the leave requests of Discaya and former engineers Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza and Henry Alcantara.

“I recommended to the Senate President that their request for Christmas furlough be denied mainly for security reasons, owing to the repeated media statements from Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that arrest warrants against them will be issued before Christmas,” Lacson said.

“So the risk of escape becomes greater – not to mention that it makes no sense to grant such requests for Christmas leave if indeed warrants are coming out by then,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Walang Holiday Furlough para kina Discaya, 3 Dating Inhinyero ng DPWH

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