Senators on Sunday demanded full transparency regarding the PHP33-billion allocation for Farm-to-Market Roads (FMRs) in the proposed 2026 national budget, raising concerns that the doubled funding may have resulted from unvetted “congressional insertions” following the controversial realignment of flood-control funds.
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson issued the strongest warning, stating he would not sign the final bicameral conference committee report unless the list of FMR projects is clarified. The allocation is significantly higher than the PHP16 billion initially proposed in the National Expenditure Program (NEP).
“I will not associate myself with the PHP33-billion spending for unplanned and unvetted farm-to-market roads,” Lacson said, questioning whether the projects were genuinely identified by the Department of Agriculture (DA) or inserted by lawmakers.
He stressed that unvetted allocations risk repeating the same issues that led to the scrutiny of the PHP255.5 billion in realigned flood-control funds.
The increase has drawn suspicion from other legislators. Senator Erwin Tulfo warned that the substantial rise could create public distrust.
“The Filipino people who are watching us right now cannot help but think that there might be problems with this. That the issues in flood control will only transfer to farm-to-market roads,” Tulfo said during the bicameral conference meeting, calling for firm assurances on quality control.
Senator Pia Cayetano also expressed surprise over the total amount, noting that the effective funding for FMRs could soar to PHP43 billion when PHP11 billion in unreleased funds from the previous year are included. “I am surprised that the master plan has yet to be developed,” she remarked.
In response, House Appropriations Committee chairperson Rep. Mikaela Angela Suansing clarified during the discussions that a master plan for FMRs does exist, though she acknowledged that some remote areas may still not be covered.
Senator Loren Legarda also emphasized that while FMRs are critical for agricultural productivity, their implementation must be needs-based and kept “insulated from political considerations.”
She stressed that projects must be determined by the needs of the area—based on population, land area, and other criteria—rather than distributed according to congressional districts.
Senators expect the final bicameral report to provide a clear and publicly disclosed breakdown of the source, criteria, and geographic distribution of the FMR projects to ensure accountability in the fund realignment.