SCUTTLEBUTT

Congressmen say Chiz

The P535-billion flood control project scandal was the root of the P142-billion insertion in the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) that, in turn, is leading to the doorstep of Senate President Chiz Escudero.

Among the biggest manipulation undertaken in the bicameral conference committee, according to one of its members, went to Bulacan province, worth P12,084,500,000.

Bulacan received funding of P2,930,000,000 for flood control, P3,260,500,000 for roads, P3,609,000,000 for buildings, and P2,285,000,000 for street lights.

Second biggest was Escudero’s home province of Sorsogon worth P9,136,000,000, broken down to P1,165,000,000 for flood control, P3,062,000,000 for roads, P525,000,000 for bridges, and P4,384,000,000 for buildings.

Other huge allocations were for “Davao” of P7,213,500,000; and Valenzuela City of P4,251,800,000.

Then there is a long section on Escudero’s budget insertions for various roads and highways all over the country. One easily realizes that these are indeed insertions because the particular pages in the 2025 General Appropriations Act are indicated.

The insertion’s breakdown revealed a lengthy section for constructing “multipurpose buildings” in various municipalities, indicating widespread pork benefiting legislators without explaining the need for these buildings.

There are more multipurpose buildings than school buildings in the breakdown.

The apportioning of the mutilated budget would have Escudero’s select allies in Congress grinning from ear to ear.