Panfilo Lacson on Sunday said public vigilance over the 2026 national budget must continue beyond its passage and signing into law, stressing that proper implementation will be the next major challenge.

Lacson said that while religious groups and civil society organizations closely monitored the bicameral deliberations on the 2026 budget, they must now focus on how the executive branch spends public funds next year.

“The same vigilance showed by the public led by the Catholic Church, religious groups and civil society organizations must be maintained in watching over the budget’s implementation,” Lacson said in a radio interview.

“Our people must not let down their guard because the 2026 budget will show if there is indeed reform for our government and our nation. We must learn from the lessons of corruption in the budgets of 2025 and prior years,” he added.

Lacson noted that although a majority of his colleagues in the Senate share a reform-oriented mindset, the chamber has only 24 members, underscoring the need for sustained public support to ensure accountability.

“Since there are only 24 of us, we should have the support of many Filipinos. So I will say, may the force be with us,” he said.

Earlier, Lacson said the Senate included several general and special provisions in the 2026 budget to serve as safeguards during its execution. Among these are a prohibition on guarantee letters and any form of political branding, or “epal,” in the distribution of government assistance.

He added that Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) must be implemented strictly under the Universal Health Care program and in compliance with the UHC law.

Lacson also said the Senate mandated monthly oversight of infrastructure and farm-to-market road projects, including the use of grid coordinates, to allow easier monitoring by the media and the public.

He stressed that these safeguards will only be effective if citizens remain alert and actively report irregularities, saying the success of the 2026 budget will ultimately depend on transparent and honest implementation.