Tag: pork barrel

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Lacson Flags ‘Questionable’ Lump-Sum Items for Infra Projects in Proposed 2027 Budget, to Seek Clarification

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Saturday flagged some “questionable” lump sum appropriations for infrastructure projects of a government agency in the P7.2-trillion proposed national budget for 2027, adding he will seek an explanation or clarification from the officials concerned.

Lacson said he may formally raise the issue at the briefing of the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC), which is initially scheduled on Aug. 27.

“We spotted lump sum appropriations that we don’t think should be lump sum. When we say lump sum appropriations, an aggregate amount is appropriated for a project, activity or program (PAP), or group of projects without detailing the breakdown of the cost of each PAP,” he said in English and Filipino in an interview on DZMM radio.

“We will seek clarification on the details of these lump sum appropriations. Lump sum appropriations are allowed for calamity funds because we cannot predict when calamities occur. But it becomes questionable if it’s for infrastructure projects. That is what we saw and we will ask for details on the matter,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, May Nasilip na ‘Questionable’ Lump-Sum Items para sa Infra Projects sa Panukalang 2027 Budget

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Lacson, Staff Begin Scrutiny of Proposed 2027 Budget Amid Senate’s Tight Schedule

Despite the Senate’s tight schedule due to the ongoing impeachment trial, regular plenary sessions and expected committee hearings on matters referred to his committees, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson and his staff have begun scrutinizing the proposed P7.2-trillion budget for 2027.

Lacson said that, as in past years, he and his staff would closely examine the National Expenditure Program (NEP) to ensure that no traces of “pork,” including questionable, useless and wasteful items, would make it to the proposed budget.

“Sa ngayon, sinisimulan na namin ng staff na i-scrutinize ang NEP kasi na-transmit na ito. Pinasisimulan namin kalkalin o i-scrutinize ang NEP para sa 2027 budget (As of now, my staff and I have started scrutinizing the NEP after it was transmitted to both houses of Congress. We have started poring through the NEP in preparation for deliberations on the proposed budget for 2027),” he said in an interview on DZBB radio.

In Filipino: Lacson, Staff Sinimulan ang Pagsusuri sa Panukalang 2027 Budget sa Kabila ng Masikip na Iskedyul ng Senado

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Lacson Shoots Down Disgraced Ex-SP Cayetano’s Insinuations: I Earned My Money Legitimately

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson legitimately earned his wealth through private business and never resorted to budget insertions or kickbacks, contrary to the latest wild insinuations and black propaganda by disgraced ex-Senate President and self-styled anti-corruption crusader Alan Peter Cayetano.

Lacson also disclosed that there are ghost flood control projects in Taguig City, Cayetano’s political bailiwick, with the city engineer – a “self-styled BGC boy” – gambling heavily in many Metro Manila casinos.

“Let me correct Sen Alan Cayetano’s latest live selling on FB using wild insinuations and black propaganda against me. Hindi nag-doble ang net worth sa SALN ko in 2025 compared to 2022 when I left the Senate. Actually, more than four times ang increase at P244.9M compared to P58.7M in 2022 – the year I left government,” Lacson said on X. “Whatever money I have, I definitely earned legitimately through some real estate deals and other legitimate businesses with two other business partners as a private individual, and I paid P10.5M and P2.8M (in taxes) respectively as reflected in my ITRs (income tax returns).”

“Unlike Sen Cayetano with P6.79B in budget insertions under the 2025 GAA, (I have no) insertions a.k.a. pork barrel since I became a senator. (And I do not have any) 25% kickback (for) slope protection and other infra projects. I don’t know about him, but I have consistently refused lobby monies in relation to my job as a legislator,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, Ibinasura ang mga Paratang ni Disgrasyadong Ex-SP Cayetano: Lehitimo Kong Pinaghirapan ang Aking Yaman

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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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