Tag: transparency

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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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Towards transparency: Implementing a digital tracking system for the national budget [BusinessMirror]

From BusinessMirror’s editorial: Senator Lacson’s push for digital tracking offers hope in the fight against corruption. As citizens, we have a duty to back these efforts and insist on accountability, because a government of the people should always be a government that serves the people.

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Lacson Scores Early Win in Demands for Full Transparency from Senators, House Members in Budget Amendments

Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Wednesday scored an early win in his efforts to ensure transparency in the budget process, after he set two demands to which Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian agreed.

Following a “solution-finding discussion” Wednesday morning, Lacson said Gatchalian agreed to name the proponents of the amendments on the floor, to put it on record.

“We agreed that when any of our colleagues will seek clarification on particular insertions or realignments or amendments, then the chairman of the finance committee will divulge the identity or identities of the proponents of the amendments on the floor, to make it of record,” Lacson said in his manifestation during the discussion of amendments to Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4, which aims to ensure transparency in deliberations for the 2026 budget.

In Filipino: Lacson, Iginiit ang Full Transparency Mula sa Mga Mambabatas sa mga Amyenda sa Badyet

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Lacson: Transparency Efforts Could be Senate’s Key to Regaining Public Trust

Efforts to fight corruption and uphold transparency could be one of the keys for the Senate to recover from its low trust and performance ratings and to regain the public’s trust, anti-corruption advocate Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said.

Lacson said the Senate’s low ratings may have stemmed from factors including public perception of “pork” insertions by some senators, as well as the handling of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

“It could have been a factor, rightly or wrongly. That is the public’s perception because that is what people see or read daily. It’s a combination of so many factors, so we must be careful,” he said in Filipino in an interview on One PH.

In Filipino: Lacson: Transparency Efforts Susi ng Senado sa Pagbawi sa Mababang Trust Ratings

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Lacson: Senate, House Resolutions Opening the Budget Process to the Public a Big Step vs Corruption

The resolutions by the Senate and House of Representatives to open the budget process to the public may not be foolproof but they are still a major step against “pork” in the national budget, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson welcomed the House’s adoption of House Resolution 94, which seeks to institutionalize the participation of civil society organizations (CSOs) as non-voting observers in the budget deliberations of the House appropriations committee.

He added that with the signing by himself and fellow senators of a concurrent resolution to have a transparent budget process, it will be easier to identify the lawmakers who made insertions and realignments to the budget bill.

“What we signed yesterday is a concurrent resolution so both houses of Congress thankfully are united in making the budget process transparent all the way to the bicameral conference committee,” he said.

In Filipino: Lacson: Resolusyon ng Senado at Kamara na Nagbubukas ng Budget Process sa Publiko, Malaking Hakbang Laban sa Katiwalian sa Budget

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