00:00The Bicameral Conference Committee approves a higher budget for two programs flagged by budget experts as soft pork.
00:07This includes the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, or IECS, for 2026.
00:13The allocation for the program nearly doubled from almost 27 billion pesos under the National Expenditure Program.
00:19The House of Representatives approves 59 billion pesos for the program, while the Senate approves around 34 billion pesos.
00:25Senator Erwin Tulfo adopts the House proposal for the budget, citing back-to-back disasters in 2025 which strained the program's funds.
00:33Meanwhile, Senator Aimee Marcos raises concern over IECS, saying it might be used politically, especially with the upcoming Bangsamoro and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in 2026.
00:43The Bicam also approves a higher allocation for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients Program, or MYFIP.
00:51Similar to IECS, it is also described by experts as a new pork barrel.
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