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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Lacson vows to help augment the budgets of AMLC, ARTA for 2026

Lacson vows to help augment the budgets of AMLC, ARTA for 2026

Published Sep 15, 2025 05:54 pm

At A Glance

  • Lacson made the assurance at the hearing of the Senate Finance Committee when it tackled the proposed budgets of the AMLC, ARTA, the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations and Philippine Competition Commission.


Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has vowed to help the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) get the funding they need to fight money laundering and corruption.

Lacson made the assurance at the hearing of the Senate Finance Committee when it tackled the proposed budgets of the AMLC, ARTA, the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations and Philippine Competition Commission.

For one, Lacson noted that the four agencies, AMLC, in particular, are getting “crumbs” in the National Expenditure Program (NEP).

He pointed out the AMLC submitted to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) a proposed budget of P333.1 million for 2026, but had only P170.161 million in recommended appropriations under the NEP.

The AMLC suffered budget cuts in its 2026 budget particularly for its maintenance and enhancement of cybersecurity and database, from a proposed P125.56 million to P93.010 million in the NEP (cut of P32.55 million).

The AMLC's program for efficient and effective prosecution of money laundering and and terrorist financing cases also suffered a cut, from a proposed P55.639 million to P22.083 million in the NEP (slashed P33.616 million).

AMLC executive director Matthew David told senators the agency needs at least P32.55 million more for information and communications technology (ICT) software “to assist our investigators in investigating virtual assets that are part of our investigation of money laundering and terrorism.”

“Just to highlight the need to assist agencies particularly the AMLC, the P125.56 million budget for Maintenance of ICT equipment and software is smaller than that of a single flood control program,” Lacson said.

Lacson then strongly suggested that the Senate “take a hard look at their financial positions,” noting that the additional requirements of the AMLC “are smaller than the commissions and SOPs demanded by corrupt officials in the DPWH as well as some legislator-proponents, among others.”

“We can easily realign from the proposed budgets of the other agencies that are unnecessary. Rest assured Mr. Chairman and the AMLC, ARTA, GCG and others, we’ll be four square behind you. Kindly submit your position paper to justify the added funding,” Lacson told representatives of the agencies.

Related Tags

ping lacson Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) ARTA
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