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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Lacson, Senate bicam group to continue fight for zero unprogrammed appropriations

Lacson, Senate bicam group to continue fight for zero unprogrammed appropriations

Published Oct 11, 2025 04:50 pm

At A Glance

  • The House of Representatives may opted not to scrap the controversial unprogrammed appropriations (UA) in the P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026, but that doesn't mean that the Senate can't do anything about it.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
(MANILA BULLETIN)


The House of Representatives may opted not to scrap the controversial unprogrammed appropriations (UA) in the P6.793-trillion national budget for 2026, but that doesn't mean that the Senate can't do anything about it.
For Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, the effort to zero out the UA has actually gained momentum as he committed to add his voice to the Senate's stand once the Senate and House contingents meet on the 2026 budget during the Bicameral Conference Committee hearings.
In effect, Lacson was throwing his behind Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senate finance committee chairman Sherwin Gatchalian call to get rid of the controversial UA.
"Our agreement was that there will be no unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 budget, but we will allow funding for foreign-assisted projects that are necessary. Funds in the unprogrammed appropriations for other purposes will be removed," he said Saturday, Oct. 11 in a mix of English and Filipino, in an interview on DZMM radio.
Lacson, who earned a reputation as an eagle-eyed watchdog of the national budget, cited reports indicating the House on Friday rejected a proposal to slash the P250-billion UA. That same day, the lower chamber approved the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) on second reading.
The budget process will shift to th Senate once the House passes the GAB on third and final reading on Monday, Oct. 13.
House Committee on Appropriations Chairperson Nueva Ecija 1st district Rep. Mikaela Angela "Mika" Suansing was quoted in reports as saying the government cannot afford to scrap contingent funding for foreign-assisted projects. Suansing is Gatchalian's House counterpart.
Should the Senate and House maintain their conflicting stands, Lacson said the Senate will have on its side the Filipinos outraged by the corruption that was manifested in anomalous flood control and infrastructure projects.
Earlier, Lacson and his staff had confirmed the existence of flood control projects using unprogrammed funds in the budget.
"We may have to confront this issue in the bicam. If I become a member of the Senate contingent to the bicam, I will add my voice to that of Sen. Gatchalian, along with the voices of Filipinos who are outraged over corruption," he said.
Meanwhile, Lacson pushed anew for self-restraint among lawmakers in making amendments to the budget bill, and for introducing institutional amendments rather than individual ones for infrastructure projects that do not stem from consultations with the local government units concerned.
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