Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said the Senate is ready to stand firm in keeping the proposed 2026 national budget free of pork barrel as bicameral conference committee deliberations continue.
Lacson said the Senate’s stance is anchored on ratifying the enrolled, or final, version of the budget bill to prevent last-minute insertions that could compromise its integrity.
“Dapat maging pork-free. Kasi sobra naman kung ang daming makakasuhan, meron pa ring mag-insist na gumawa ng kalokohan at pagkakitaan ng public fund. Sagad na sa buto ang kagahaman noon,” Lacson said in a radio interview.
While acknowledging that compromise is part of the budget process, Lacson stressed it should never undermine public accountability.
“Give-and-take ito, to a point importante ang budget mismo mapangalagaan natin ang integridad at maiwasan ang pansariling interest,” he said.
He warned that problems arise when personal gain overtakes public interest, particularly in infrastructure spending.
“Okay ang interest ng constituents pero pag umiral ang pansariling interest iisipin lang magkano ma-kickback lalo sa infra projects, yan ang masama,” Lacson said.
Lacson said Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Senate Finance Committee chair Senator Win Gatchalian are pushing a stricter ratification process, where senators would ratify the enrolled bill itself rather than just the bicameral conference committee report.
“Ang isa pang gagawin namin sa Senate halimbawa nakumpleto na at may bicam report, hindi yan ang aming ira-ratify. Ang ira-ratify namin mismo ang final version which is the enrolled bill. Naka-incorporate doon ang bicam report,” he said.
He also highlighted reforms in the Senate version of the 2026 budget, including the removal of “allocables,” which he described as a new form of pork barrel that allowed funding for unidentified projects and potential abuse.
The Senate likewise removed the Sustainable Infrastructure Projects Alleviating Gaps (SIPAG), which Lacson said overlapped with regular Department of Public Works and Highways programs, and reduced unprogrammed appropriations to limit them to legitimate purposes such as foreign-assisted projects and AFP modernization.
Lacson said transparency measures, including livestreaming budget hearings and bicameral meetings, help ensure accountability.
“Ang magandang mangyayari ngayon, magkaroon sila ng sense of responsibility bantayan ang in-introduce nilang amendment, lalo sa infra at maski soft project,” he said.
“’Yan ang magandang dulot na transparent and identifiable ang nag-introduce ng amendment,” he added.