Lacson: Leadership fund 'worse version of outlawed pork barrel system'

The Manila Times

Lacson: Leadership fund 'worse version of outlawed pork barrel system'  Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Aug. 13, 2026 renews his call to abolish the 'leadership fund' from the national budget, branding it as a 'worse version  the outlawed pork barrel system.' Lacson said the leadership provided lawmakers opportunity to make insertions even during the preparation stage of the national budget. Lacson issued the statement a day after former Public Works secretary Manuel Bonoan told the Sandiganbayan that all senators have at least P500 million of allocations for their priority projects in the so-called 'leadership funds' earmarked under the agency's budget last year. Bonoan said a total of P24 billion was allotted for senators, but the amount for each lawmaker was supposedly subject to the discretion of then Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri, who denied this.  VIDEO BY CATHERINE VALENTE  Check out our Streaming Channel: https://streaming.manilatimes.net/  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe  Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net  Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion  Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital  Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein  #TheManilaTimes #TMTNews #PorkBarrel #Philippines

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00:00Sa 2026 budget, wala na. Kasi creation lang naman ito ni Secretary Bonoan in collaboration with Yusei Cabral.

00:12So sa 2025, yun ang last budget year, I believe sa 2026, wala na yung leadership plan.

00:22Hindi man illegal, kaya lang, keep proper. Why?

00:26Because district representatives are supposed to be members of the local development councils.

00:33Pag nag-deliberate, even hindi parangay development councils, pwede sila magpadala ng representatives sila

00:40para makihalaw sa discussion and deliberation ng local development plan.

00:45Sa municipal city, member sila.

00:48So dapat doon sila nag-deliberate, doon nila nilalaban kung ano yung mga projects nila sa mga districts.

00:55Para nasa ka doon, pagdating sa regional development councils, all the way up ng provincial, regional,

01:02naanto na yung kanilang mga needs and priorities in the respective districts.

01:07Kaya nga na-didisrupt because hindi sila humahalo doon and nababaliwala na yung output ng mga regional development councils.

01:18Kasi pagdating sa Congress, at sinasabi ng mga district representatives, bakit pa tayo makikialam diyan?

01:25Pagdating naman sa Congress, tayo yung bida.

01:28So until that time, nagsiteriorate na nga na kumabot na tayo, pati yung NEP.

01:34Hindi na kasama yung doon sa authorization phase na kinatawag.

01:38Kasi apat yung basis yan, preparation, authorization or legislation, implementation, yung pabalik sa executive for implementation,

01:47and of course, accountability.

01:49Dito na yung oversight, go-on, etc.

01:52So kaya na-didisrupt yung budget cycle, yung budget process.

01:56Because of this, sinanigang sort of thing.

02:03Yan, kasi pagkapanalo ni Kitusen, nagka-text na nga si Gabriel, si Cabral, sa staff niya.

02:11Kaya sabi mo kay Sen. Rosoto, meron siyang 500 na pangalokable.

02:17And hindi nagsabit si Sen. Rosoto.

02:20Kinakita niya nga sa akin, kasi ako yung nag-chair ng Blue Ribbon.

02:24And of course, alam mo yung active ako sa budget.

02:26Sen. Rosoto, bakit kailangan ng tanggalin niya?

02:30Nadi-disrupt kaya.

02:31Saka hindi dapat pakidip ng fingers yung mga congressmen, mga Senators, sa budget preparation.

02:39Because that is within the domain of the executive, down to the local levels, mga LGUs.

02:46Dapat walang pakialam.

02:48Ang pakialam ng Congress, congressmen, Senators, doon sa tinatawag na authorization phase, meaning legislation.

02:56Doon pwede mag-amend, aka insertion.

03:00Kasi kung doon pa lang sa NEP, e, naka-insert na, e, parang ito yung, parang sabihin na natin, ito

03:08yung presentant na, e, nang pork barrel.

03:11Which was outlawed way back in 2014, diba?

03:15Outlawed na yun e, declared an constitutional.

03:17E, pero ngayon, naka-invento na naman sa alip na pork barrel.

03:21Worse pa, kasi ang pork barrel, doon na yung sa Congress, e.

03:26Ito, executive domain pa lang, nang doon na nakialam na yung mga congressmen.

03:31Because ino-opera niya ng mga alokabore.

03:33Ito at a terma, alok, alok.

04:04BIM

04:05BRIIILL

04:05BIM

04:05You

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