Former Senate President Franklin Drilon urged Congress to enforce full transparency in the 2026 national budget deliberations, warning that billions in discretionary allocations remain vulnerable to abuse.
He said livestreaming the bicameral conference committee is essential for public scrutiny of last-minute insertions long tied to corruption.
“I support livestreaming so people can see who is putting in amendments,” Drilon said.
“This is the only way the public can judge whether changes serve the nation or serve personal interests.”
Drilon noted that the Senate removed roughly ₱114 billion in pork barrel–type allocations found in the House version but stressed that major risks persist.
He again called for the removal of unprogrammed appropriations, saying, “Tanggalin yung unprogrammed appropriation,” citing their repeated misuse in past budgets.
He also flagged the more than ₱11 billion in confidential and intelligence funds still included in the 2026 proposal.
“These funds are difficult to audit and prone to abuse,” he said, insisting on stricter oversight if they cannot be scrapped.
Drilon emphasized that while the Senate trimmed questionable items, some project allocations may still be “liable for corruption” and should be thoroughly examined in the bicam.
A veteran of 24 years in the Senate, he warned that corruption does not end with the budget’s passage.
“It’s not only about what is written in the budget,” he said.
“The bigger problem is how the budget is executed – that is where many irregularities occur.”
He said granting the public full access to negotiations is crucial to curbing abuses, especially amid what he described as a “widespread climate of mistrust” in government spending.