Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Wednesday, December 17 dismissed claims made by Rep. Antonio Tinio alleging the inclusion of a P17.9-billion pork barrel fund for the Senate in the 2026 national budget saying it is just mere “lazy work” or a malicious attempt to...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Tuesday, December 16 floated the possibility of the government working on a reenacted 2026 national budget. Lacson stressed this amid another issue that surfaced, this time involving farm-to-market road (FMR) projects that were not...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson reiterated his push for clear and foolproof safeguards in the P6.793-trillion proposed budget for 2026 to prevent abuse and political patronage, especially in at least three contentious issues. In particular, Lacson said there must be no political...
The Senate has approved on third and final reading the Citizens Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability (CADENA) Act via a 17-0 vote, with no objection and no abstention. Senate Bill No. 1506 seeks the establishment of a National Budget Blockchain System which will record...
The government is poised to cancel the birth certificate of nickel magnate Joseph Sy after authorities identified him as a Chinese national. The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) made the disclosure at the Senate Justice and Human Rights subcommittee hearing on Monday, December 15, led by Sen....
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Monday, December 15 appealed to members of the Senate and House of Representatives to reconsider the decision on medical assisistance funds under the proposed 2026 national budget. Ejercito, who couldn’t attend the bicameral conference committee as a...
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon on Sunday, December 14 has urged Congress to restore the funds that were slashed from its budget for next year, making senators skeptical of the agency’s sudden request. Dizon was present during the second day of the bicameral...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson warned on Sunday, December 14, that restoring the items cut from the proposed budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) at the bicameral conference committee level will reopen the floodgates to insertion. Lacson made this...
As lawmakers start threshing out the differing provisions in their version of the 2026 national budget, senators zeroed in on the questionable budget increase for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) and farm-to-market roads (FMR). Senate President Pro...
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has asked the Senate to reconsider 2026 budget reductions, citing the need to apply updated construction cost data to ensure accurate project costing and proper execution. DPWH said the request focuses on securing authority to implement...
The Bicarmeral Conference Committee hearings on the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) or proposed national budget for 2026 will begin Saturday, Dec. 13, with more eyes expected to watch every move of the lawmaker-participants than in any other bicam in history. For the first time...
With the annual Congress holiday break just around the corner, it seems that several individuals who were cited in contempt during previous hearings could remain in detention at the Senate during Christmas and the New Year--perhaps even longer. This was according to Senate President Vicente "Tito"...
