Lacson reveals some gov’t project funding bloated by staggering 328%

Former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson (File photo)

MANILA, Philippines — Government project funding has allegedly been bloated by 328 percent after receiving “double, triple, quadruple and quintuple” appropriations this year–but hidden in the 2024 national budget.

Former Senator Panfilo Lacson made the claim on Thursday while Congress discussed next year’s proposed P5.768 trillion national budget.

READ: House receives proposed P5.768-T nat’l budget for 2024 from DBM

Lacson revealed on Twitter that “45 projects in the 2023 GAA and 26 items in the 2024 NEP have double, triple, quadruple and quintuple appropriations, thus, excessively, unreasonably, unnecessarily and unconscionably bloating fund allocations in the range of 109% to 328%.”

GAA is the General  Appropriations Act, while NEP is the National Expenditures Program.

“Sadly, nobody seems to mind at all,” he lamented.

Of the 45 projects this year, Lacson said 35 got double funding while six were given triple budgets.

Meanwhile, three projects were given quadruple budget this year, and one had “quintuple” funding, the former senator added in a Viber message to INQUIRER.net.

For 2024, Lacson said 26 projects have multiple appropriations in NEP.

He did not elaborate, but the former lawmaker said funding for 26 projects could still increase “because of insertions a.k.a. amendments.”

Sought for comment on Lacson’s review, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said he has already been informed about it.

The senator wants “to see the actual entries first.”

“In short, evidence first,” Pimentel said in another message to reporters.

Pimentel, nevertheless, intends to confront the Department of Budget and Management when it presents its budget proposal for next year.

Reacting to Pimentel’s statement, Lacson said he saw and inspected the actual entries in the budget books.

“They are scattered in the different pages of the budget books. Same project description and location but given separate appropriations,” he pointed out.

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APL/abc