Lacson: Briefly reenacted 2025 budget better than rushed, corruption-prone 2026 budget

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said a briefly reenacted 2025 national budget would be preferable to rushing the passage of the proposed 2026 budget, warning that haste could result in a spending plan that is unresponsive to current needs and vulnerable to corruption.

Lacson made the statement after Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to sign the proposed P6.793-trillion 2026 budget in the first week of January, a timeline that could lead to a reenacted budget for several days at the start of the year.

“This is exactly what I said earlier – better a reenacted budget in January, or even in the first quarter of 2026, than rushing the passage of a national budget that is not responsive to the call of the times, amidst the yet unresolved investigations on the misuse and abuse of the current and previous expenditure programs, particularly involving flood control projects,” Lacson said.

He noted that investigations into the alleged misuse and abuse of current and previous expenditure programs, particularly flood control projects, remain unresolved.

Despite Malacañang’s opposition to a reenacted budget, Lacson said this was the most prudent option, as the bicameral conference committee failed to fully resolve several contentious provisions in the 2026 spending measure.

Among the disputed items were proposed increases in funding for farm-to-market roads and various “ayuda” or assistance programs, including the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS).

Lacson warned that these programs are susceptible to political abuse if not properly safeguarded.

He also cited the appeal of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to restore portions of its budget, despite earlier commitments to reduce allocations linked to allegedly overpriced Construction Materials Price Data.

With the House of Representatives insisting on retaining these provisions, Lacson said the Senate agreed during caucus discussions to insert both general and special provisions into the budget to serve as safeguards during implementation.

These safeguards include a total ban on guarantee letters and any form of political promotion or “epal” in the distribution of ayuda, stricter implementation of MAIFIP under the Universal Health Care program, and monthly oversight of infrastructure and farm-to-market road projects, complete with grid coordinates to allow monitoring by the media and the public.

Lacson acknowledged that the bicameral conference committee report “is far from perfect” but stressed that vigilance must continue even after the budget is signed into law.

“We cannot be in a perfect and ideal world when we entrust government funds to politicians of different persuasions and attitudes,” he said.

The veteran lawmaker and long-time budget watchdog added that he remains hopeful many members of Congress will heed public calls to curb corruption.

“The key is not letting our guard down in monitoring and reporting, even shaming shenanigans in the public sector and their co-conspirators outside of government,” Lacson said.