MANILA — Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) must provide the public with a clear explanation for the wastage of funds in the long-delayed Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project in Tarlac, which remains unfinished despite receiving P7.006 billion from 2015 to 2020 alone.

Lacson raised the concern during the interpellation of NIA’s proposed 2026 budget, recalling that he flagged the same issues in 2020.

“Hindi lang sa budget deliberation natin dapat pagusapan ito. I think we should really focus on the delayed projects and the obvious wastage of public funds, particularly sa Balog-Balog Multipurpose Project,” Lacson said.

He noted that Phase 2 of the project was supposed to be completed in 2018 but remains unfinished. Lacson recalled that in November 2020, his staff compared project images from September 2019 to their inspection in November 2020 and saw virtually no progress. “Halos walang nangyari,” he said.

Lacson added that in 2018, the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the project’s five contracts, which accounted for P7.7 billion — or 37 percent — of the P20.7 billion worth of delayed projects nationwide, making it among the highest in aggregate contract costs under delayed NIA projects.

“I think the NIA has a lot of explaining to do. Dito pa tayo sa Balog-Balog, katakot-takot ang pwedeng anomalya,” he said.

Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who also raised the issue during his interpellation, noted that NIA requests P261 million annually for the maintenance and repair of the project. He proposed that a review be undertaken.

Finance Subcommittee Chairman Francis Pangilinan, who sponsored NIA’s proposed 2026 budget, said they will monitor the review to determine the next steps.