SENATOR Panfilo “Ping” Lacson strongly asserted on Wednesday that the names of all lawmakers, whether senators or congressmen, who proposed amendments or inserted funds into the budget bill should be made public.
He argued that this is the true essence of transparency, regardless of the complexity or length of the deliberation, in addition to live streaming the budget process at the bicameral conference committee.
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, meanwhile, called for a national prayer for the proper and non-anomalous use of the nearly P7 trillion budget in 2026, emphasizing its significant impact on the country’s future.
Lacson, a staunch advocate for guarding public funds, insisted that only in this way can those who proposed amendments or insertions in projects such as substandard or ghost flood control projects be held accountable.
He emphasized that without this transparency, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4, discussed on Tuesday, would fail to achieve its goal of ensuring transparency in the 2026 budget discussions. Cayetano urged the public to pray that lawmakers and government agencies allocate funds correctly.
