Tag: Senate

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Lacson: Budget Insertions Part of Congress’ Mandate, but Abused by Lawmakers

Budget insertions by themselves are not illegal nor evil as they are part of the mandate of lawmakers in shaping the national budget – but this mandate has been abused by lawmakers, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Monday as he bared the House of Representatives has its own share of humongous amendments a.k.a. insertions in the 2025 budget.

Lacson, who earned a reputation as a no-nonsense watchdog of the national budget, reiterated his call for transparency and accountability from lawmakers in the deliberations for the 2026 budget.

“Introducing insertions are not illegal. It is our mandate as lawmakers to review the National Expenditure Program and introduce amendments. The problem is that many lawmakers abused this mandate,” Lacson said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio.

“I hope that in 2026, we will practice self-restraint. The people are angry so we must reform the way we pass the budget,” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson: Budget Insertions Mandato ng Mambabatas, Pero Naabuso sa Kongreso

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Lacson Uncovers Least P100B in Senators’ Insertions in 2025 Budget

At least P100 billion worth of items were inserted by “almost all” senators in the 19th Congress in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson bared on Sunday.

Lacson, an eagle-eyed watchdog of the national budget, cited documents he gathered indicating that these were individual insertions, although they were eventually held for later release (FLR).

“Sa Senate pa lang, at least P100 bilyon. Nagulat nga ako, sa individual insertions ito, ito naka-FLR ngayon (For the Senate, the insertions amounted to at least P100 billion. I was surprised because these are individual insertions although they were held ‘for later release’),” he said in an interview on DZMM radio.

“Pagkalalaki. Never pa ako nakakita kasi noong araw di pa declared unconstitutional ang PDAF nandoon lang sa hundreds of millions. E ngayon nakita ko ang total, kabuuan at least P100 billion (It was humongous. I have never seen such amounts. Before the Priority Development Assistance Fund was declared unconstitutional in 2013, ‘pork’ amounted to hundreds of millions. Now it’s at least P100 billion total for 24 senators alone),” he added.

In Filipino: Lacson, Ibinunyag ang Mahigit ₱100B Insertion ng mga Senador sa 2025 Budget

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Lacson is the New Senate President Pro Tempore

Senator Ping Lacson is now the new 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨-𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞.

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Lacson: Senators Not Beyond Suspicion in Flood Control Projects Row

Senators are not beyond suspicion in the controversy over anomalous and ghost flood control projects at this time, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said on Saturday.

Lacson noted that both his fellow senators and House members introduce insertions or amendments in the national budget bill, thus his repeated calls for transparency in the budgeting process.

“I am not saying it’s just members of the House. It is possible that some senators introduce insertions for such projects, and may even profit from the 25% share for the ‘funder’ or proponent of the insertions from the flood control project costs,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZRH radio.

“I’ll put it this way. There may be senators and House members who may be connected to anomalous flood control projects,” he said in a separate interview on DZMM, when asked if there are senators who may have ties to the questionable projects.

In Filipino: Lacson: Hindi Ligtas ang mga Senador sa Isyu ng Anomalya sa Flood Control Projects

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Lacson Discovers ‘Passing Through’ Modus in Overpriced Flood Control and Infra Projects

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson has discovered a modus operandi involving lawmaker-contractors that may add to the overpricing or substandard construction – or both – of flood control and other infrastructure projects.

Lacson said the scheme, dubbed “passing through,” involves a contractor having to pay five to six percent of the project cost when building a project in a legislative district where the lawmaker is a contractor, or where the lawmakers’ relatives are contractors.

“For example, if a contractor builds a project in the district of a lawmaker who is a contractor or who has relatives that are contractors, he/she must pay a five-percent ‘passing through’ fee, like a toll. That already deducts from the cost of the project. This is known in the Department of Public Works and Highways,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZBB radio Sunday.

“The fee is usually five percent but sometimes it goes up to six. Based on the information we got from contractors, the project is compromised,” he added. “How will the contractor be compensated if he/she does not use substandard materials or take shortcuts? The government is thus shortchanged.”

In Filipino: Lacson, Natuklasan ang ‘Passing Through’ Modus sa Overpriced Flood Control at Infra Projects

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