Declaring “the abuse must stop,” the Makati Business Club (MBC) has joined other business and civil society groups in demanding greater transparency in the upcoming 2026 national budget deliberations.

The powerful business group issued a statement Monday, Sept. 8, asserting that “it is one with every sector of society” in its call for accountability, using the Filipino rallying cry, “Tama Na, Sobra Na,” or “Enough is enough.”

The MBC’s statement raised serious concerns about what it calls a “long-running cycle” of public money being used for personal interests. It singled out the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), whose budget has swelled more than twentyfold over the past two decades.

In particular, the group questioned the immense spending on flood control projects. Between 2023 and 2026, these projects received over ₱1.2 trillion, with ₱250 billion allocated for 2026 alone.

The MBC noted that despite these massive allocations, “there has yet to be an explanation why there is a persistence of devastating floods every time the rains come.”

The MBC also noted the Convergence and Special Support Programs (CSSP), a “catch-all” initiative that funds highly discretionary projects like basketball courts and streetlights.

The group warned that the program’s broad scope makes it “highly vulnerable to political discretion and pork-barrel type insertions,” which poses a significant risk for the misuse of taxpayer money.

The club, meanwhile, welcomed its accreditation as a civil society observer in the budget deliberations, a role it intends to use to monitor and question the process.

The MBC said it is committed to fighting to ensure the 2026 General Appropriations Act serves the best interests of the Filipino people.

The group’s call for action aligns with the President’s recent directive to audit infrastructure projects and conduct lifestyle checks on all government officials.

The MBC also supports a Senate resolution aimed at improving transparency in the bicameral committee, which it described as a “black box” for budget insertions.