(Photo courtesy of Ping Lacson Facebook)
MANILA – Senator Panfilo Lacson said Thursday, October 15, that the Senate could reverse hundreds of billions of pesos in budget cuts and realignments introduced by the House of Representatives in the proposed Php 7.2-trillion national budget for 2027.
Lacson said senators would closely examine questionable changes in the House-approved General Appropriations Bill, particularly reductions in funding for foreign-assisted projects (FAPs) that could result in additional financial obligations for the government.
“Simula pa lang na iyakan na ‘yan, kasi pagka-kinorrect namin lahat yung mga ginalaw nila, baka lalo pa silang mag-iyakan,” Lacson said, referring to reports that some House lawmakers became emotional following the chamber’s approval of the budget.
The Senate is currently conducting committee hearings on the proposed spending plan and is expected to begin plenary deliberations in November after formally receiving the House-approved version on Wednesday.
Lacson said he and his staff were reviewing the budget provisions to identify adjustments that may require correction during Senate deliberations.
He emphasized that funding for foreign-assisted projects should be protected because the Philippines has existing financial commitments to international development partners.
“’Yan ang talagang titigasan namin na ‘di pwedeng galawin ‘yan,” he said.
In an earlier post on X, Lacson warned that reported reductions in appropriations for foreign-assisted projects could expose the government to commitment fees and other financial penalties.
Among the projects he identified was the Lakeshore (Laguna) Road Network, a multiyear infrastructure undertaking involving the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Lacson explained that the government cannot simply withdraw funding from projects covered by existing foreign financing agreements without considering the possible consequences.
“Hindi puwedeng unilateral on our part na ayaw naming pondohan ito, nag-commit tayo doon,” he said.
The senator also raised concerns over information indicating that the House had increased allocations for flood control projects despite continuing scrutiny of alleged irregularities involving such infrastructure spending.
The controversy surrounding flood control projects intensified in 2025 after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. publicly expressed concern over alleged anomalies in government-funded flood mitigation projects.
Lacson maintained that the Senate would thoroughly review the House-approved budget to ensure that appropriations are justified and consistent with the government’s financial obligations.
