Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III clarified the misconception that funds for “amended or inserted” projects pass through the Senate.

“I would like to take this opportunity to clarify some matters brought to the forefront by recent events,” Sotto said during the Senate plenary session on Monday. 

Sotto emphasized that amendments, insertions, and institutional proposals made during budget deliberations are part of the regular legislative process. 

He clarified that such changes—whether proposed individually by senators or collectively by the institution—are legal, procedural, and vital for ensuring proper allocation of public funds.

“Amendments, insertions or whatever you want to call it, whether individual or institutional, done during the deliberations in the Senate, are part of the regular budget process,” Sotto said. 

“It serves as a crucial check-and-balance mechanism to ensure that public funds are spent in accordance with the law,” he added. 

His remarks come amid mounting public scrutiny following reports of “ghost projects” and failed flood control initiatives, which have led to a broader suspicion of budget amendments as potentially illegal or improper.

"It is unfortunate that the issue on ghost projects and failed flood control projects affect and generalized all amendments as illegal or improper," he said. 

Sotto rejected these generalizations, pointing out that many of the proposed amendments aim to fund essential infrastructure and services, particularly in underserved rural areas.

“Some of these amendments are for additional classrooms, farm to market roads and bridges that will benefit our people, especially those in the far flung provinces. Some of which were never funded and were tagged ‘for later release’ (FLR),” he said. 

“These requests come from LGUs, provinces, municipalities, and even barangays that were not included by their respective Regional Councils due to numerous reasons.”

He added that these basic services are as equally important and it is within the duty of the Senators, upon assessment, to include these amendments that will benefit the people.

“I would like to make it clear that whatever budgetary amendments the Senators proposed, the money for these projects does not in any way go through the Senate, as some of our kababayans think. It goes directly to the implementing agencies under the Executive Department,” Sotto clarified.

He then assured the public that institutional reforms would be implemented to enhance budget transparency. 

Sotto cited measures agreed upon in a recent Senate caucus, including the introduction of live streaming at every step of the 2026 budget process.

“As discussed and agreed in our caucus, rest assured that for the 2026 budget, the Senate will institute changes for greater transparency, people's participation, and accountability. That is the reason that we have included live streaming in all the steps of the budget process,” he said. 

“The Senate is one with the nation in ensuring that the taxes paid by the public will be used correctly,” Sotto concluded.