MANILA — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson revealed that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) diverted at least P50 billion from unprogrammed appropriations in the 2024 national budget to finance various infrastructure projects, including ₱30 billion for flood control works.

“In 2024 alone, the DPWH diverted ₱50 billion from unprogrammed appropriations for infrastructure projects, including ₱30 billion for flood control projects. This means DPWH officials have become comfortable with funding such projects even if this means violating the government’s master plan,” Lacson said in Filipino during an interview on DZBB radio.

He said the funds were distributed across several districts, reflecting what he described as collusion between some lawmakers and DPWH officials.

“The public fund was abused because of the collusion between some lawmakers and DPWH officials, to the point that lawmakers gave the DPWH bigger funds than the education sector — and in 2025, they continued this practice until it exploded in our faces,” he added.

Lacson expressed support for reforms being introduced by new DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to align projects with the government’s infrastructure master plan. He also commended Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian’s policy of rejecting projects not in line with the plan.

He warned against the DPWH’s practice of altering or substituting projects, calling it a form of technical malversation.

“When we pass the budget bill, everything is itemized. If you make changes there, that is already technical malversation even if you have not stolen anything yet. Appropriations for a particular item must be properly spent. If not, the funds should go to savings,” Lacson said.

Senate to remove ₱42 billion in ‘ayuda’ from unprogrammed funds

Lacson also said the Senate will push to remove around ₱42 billion in allocations for “ayuda” or social assistance programs that were placed under unprogrammed appropriations in the proposed 2026 national budget.

“The House left some ₱42 billion in the unprogrammed appropriations for ayuda, and we will remove it,” he said in an interview on One News. “We expect a long discussion in the bicameral conference committee but we senators agreed that ayuda funds cannot be in the unprogrammed appropriations. They should be in the regular budget.”

Lacson, known for his detailed scrutiny of government budgets, said most senators — including Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Gatchalian — share this position.

He praised Gatchalian’s handling of the budget hearings, saying his careful examination exposed “anomalies, questionable items, and red flags.”

“He did his homework. His scrutiny exposed anomalies, questionable items and red flags. I take my hat off to him,” Lacson said, noting that he has been monitoring the hearings online while recovering from recent surgery.