Lacson: ‘Questionable’ 2027 budget lump sums up for scrutiny
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Saturday said he would seek a review of “questionable” lump-sum appropriations for infrastructure projects that his office has found in the proposed 2027 national budget.
“We have identified certain lump-sum appropriations that we believe should not be categorized as such—items that can be questioned or require clarification,” Lacson said in an interview on dzMM radio.
“When we speak of a lump sum, there is a specific item listed, but the implementation remains unclear. The amount is stated, and there is a description, but we do not know where or how it will be executed,” he explained.
Lacson said he would raise the specific items under the budget of a government agency, which he did not identify, at the Development Budget Coordination Committee briefing set for Aug. 27.
The Department of Budget and Management formally turned over to the House of Representatives on Aug. 11 the 2027 National Expenditure Program (NEP) amounting to P7.2 trillion.
Lacson said he and members of his staff had already started assessing the NEP, and that he intends to clarify how and where the lump sum would be used for by requiring a detailed breakdown of each government program, project, or activity.
“If it’s a lump sum, it should be for a calamity fund, since we don’t know when a calamity might strike. But for infrastructure projects—hold on, let’s get the details first. Why use a lump sum for infrastructure projects? That is one thing we observed,” the senator said.
Special provisions review
He added that they would also review special provisions that may be used to abuse unprogrammed appropriations.
Lacson also reiterated that they would adhere to the reforms initiated in the budget process by then Senate finance committee chair and now Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian. These include the livestreaming of the bicameral conference committee hearings and posting related documents online.
Lacson said Sen. Jose Victor “JV” Ejercito, the current Senate finance committee chair, has committed to disallowing insertions not included in the Senate or House versions of the General Appropriations Bill at the bicameral committee level.
