THE opposition in the Lower House of Congress is concerned about the P158.6 billion blank check allegedly to be given to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. next year.
According to the group of Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, the unprogrammed funds are growing, which they believe the Filipino people should oppose because if not, what they call “presidential corruption” will worsen.
“Unprogrammed appropriations have become a new form of Presidential Pork Barrel,” said Claric Palce, the secretary-general of Gabriela representing Brosas in the Lower House of Congress.
The group stated that the P158.6 billion unprogrammed funds in 2025 are no longer normal and will only be implemented when there is excess in the national government’s funds or when additional money can be borrowed from outside the country.
However, what concerns Brosas’ group is that if there is no surplus funds and the government cannot borrow, they will sacrifice the funds of other government agencies, similar to what the Marcos Jr. administration did to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), which was taken P89.9 billion to fund unprogrammed projects this 2024.
“The President has the discretion to alter funding priorities using unprogrammed funds, effectively bypassing the legislature’s power of the purse. This unchecked authority endangers transparency and accountability, allowing the President to reallocate resources without proper oversight,” Palce added.
Because of this, Gabriela appealed to the public to be vigilant and insisted that the government be transparent in using public funds to ensure that it is used for the welfare of the people and not for corruption.
“The nation’s funds are for the people, not for the pockets of a few, not for the president’s pockets and his cronies. We must resist any attempts to convert public funds into tools of corruption and ensure that every peso is spent for the people’s rights and welfare,” Palce further stated.
