‘Pork-laden budget worse than delayed, reenacted one’

While his colleagues are bent on passing the proposed P3.8-trillion budget for 2019 on time, Sen. Panfilo Lacson would rather see it delayed than be passed filled with pork.

“A pork-laden budget is far worse than a delayed or reenacted one,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Lacson, known for his yearly crusade against pork in the spending bill, said scrutinizing the national budget to get rid of excessive, unconscionable, unreasonable and irregular appropriations was not tantamount to playing partisan politics.

Patriotic duty

“Rather, I consider it a patriotic duty of every legislator who wishes to be the vanguard of good governance through conscientious spending of the Filipino people’s money,” he said.

“The national budget is the lifeblood of the country,” said Lacson, who exposed last month multibillion-peso “insertions” for the districts of some favored House leaders.

Accusations flew thick and fast between Congress and Malacañang over the insertions.

Pork, which finances the pet projects of lawmakers, is a major source of kickbacks.

“[W]e must see to it that we do our role in making sure [the budget] serves its purpose and not just stuff the pockets of some insatiably greedy politicians,” Lacson said.