Senate leaders move to eliminate P250-B ‘unprogrammed’ funds

The campaign to scrap unprogrammed appropriations from the proposed 2026 national budget is gaining significant traction, with Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson throwing his full support behind Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian.

In a radio interview on Saturday, Lacson confirmed that he would actively back the Senate’s push to eliminate the controversial P250-billion unprogrammed appropriations, except for allocations strictly tied to foreign-assisted projects.

“Our agreement was that there will be no unprogrammed appropriations in the 2026 budget, except those that support necessary foreign-assisted projects,” Lacson said in Filipino.

“Funds intended for other purposes under the unprogrammed appropriations will be removed,” he added.

Lacson’s stand reinforces the Senate’s unified position amid growing concerns over potential misuse of unprogrammed funds, which are also often criticized as being “pork-like” in nature due to their flexible allocation mechanisms.

His comments followed reports that the House of Representatives rejected a proposal on Friday to slash the massive unprogrammed fund allocation.

House Appropriations Chairperson Mikaela Suansing has defended the unprogrammed funds, arguing that the government needs contingent funding, especially for commitments tied to foreign-assisted initiatives.

However, Lacson warned that the issue could become a sticking point during the upcoming bicameral conference committee meetings between the Senate and the House.

He stressed that any insistence on retaining the current form of unprogrammed appropriations could face not just Senate opposition but public backlash.

Lacson and his staff uncovered questionable flood control projects financed by unprogrammed funds, raising alarms over the lack of transparency and proper vetting in such allocations.

"We may have to confront this issue in the bicam. If I become a member of the Senate contingent to the bicam, I will add my voice to that of Sen. Gatchalian, along with the voices of Filipinos who are outraged over corruption,” he said.

Beyond the issue of unprogrammed appropriations, Lacson also renewed his call for lawmakers to exercise self-restraint when proposing amendments to the national budget.

He emphasized the importance of prioritizing institutional over individual amendments, particularly for infrastructure projects that often bypass proper consultation with local government units.

In a press briefing over the weekend, Sotto said he and Sen. Gatchalian will ensure that no unprogrammed funds remain when the proposed 2026 national budget reaches its final reading.

“We will put this on programmed allocations,” Sotto said.

“So that it’s clear and transparent. We can avoid the act of budget realignment once the budget is already passed," he added.

Sotto also revealed that, following a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the national budget bill will no longer be certified as an urgent measure.

Such certification allows Congress to bypass the constitutional three-day rule and pass a bill on second and third reading on the same day.

“The president himself said that. He said he no longer likes a shortcut on the three-day rule. So it’s like that. I’m sure it will also be applied in the Senate,” Sotto stressed.