MANILA — Sen. Rodante D. Marcoleta voted against the Bicameral Conference Committee report on the proposed 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA), citing audit findings, fiscal patterns, and policy distortions linked to financial assistance or “ayuda” programs.

In his explanation of vote, Marcoleta said his “NO” vote was meant to ensure that the 2026 budget would not resemble the 2025 GAA, which he described as “the most corrupt, the most scandalous and the most anomalous budget the Philippines has ever had in years.”

“My ‘NO’ vote is anchored on concrete audit findings, fiscal patterns, and policy distortions surrounding various financial assistance programs, or ayudas,” Marcoleta said.

While he was not part of the bicameral conference committee, Marcoleta said he participated in the budget deliberations from committee hearings to plenary debates and voted in favor of the Senate Committee Report on the proposed 2026 budget.

“Let me be clear at the outset, Mr President: I voted in favor of the Senate Committee Report. I supported our Senate version because it reflected hours of rigorous scrutiny during committee hearings and plenary debates,” he said.

However, Marcoleta said allocations that the Senate had closely monitored were restored during bicameral deliberations, raising concerns over provisions prone to abuse and political patronage.

“I commend the move of both houses in acceding to the call of the people to have a transparent and open bicameral conference hearing; and in giving the largest allocations to education, health, and agriculture as mandated by our Constitution,” he said, adding that safeguards against abuse appeared to have weakened.

Marcoleta said he supports government assistance for the poor but questioned the effectiveness of current short-term aid programs, citing data showing rising self-rated poverty and hunger among Filipino families.

“The hard truth remains: the lives of our people are not improving; worse, the number of Filipino families who consider themselves poor continue to rise,” he said.

He cited the September 2025 Social Weather Stations survey, which showed that 50% or about 14.2 million Filipino families considered themselves poor, and data indicating that about 22% of families experienced involuntary hunger as of November 5, 2025.

Marcoleta also cited findings from the 2024 Commission on Audit report, which flagged deficiencies in the disbursement of Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) funds, including incomplete documentation, duplication of benefits, weak validation of beneficiaries, and the non-implementation of prior audit recommendations.

Despite these findings, Marcoleta said the bicameral report increased funding for several assistance programs, including ₱63.9 billion for AICS, ₱22.44 billion for TUPAD, ₱51.6 billion for the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP), and ₱10 billion for the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF), totaling ₱147.9 billion.

He also criticized the restoration of unprogrammed appropriations to ₱243.4 billion, higher than both the House-approved level and the Senate’s reduced version.

“This is recklessness!” Marcoleta said.

After weighing these concerns, Marcoleta said he cast a “NO” vote on the bicameral report despite his involvement in crafting the Senate version of the budget.

“But I stand my ground for the conviction against the chance of possible abuses of the budget,” he said.

“Matuto na tayo sa mga multo ng kahapon. Huwag na nating bigyan ng pagkakataon na maulit ang mga anomalyang hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa napapanagutan,” Marcoleta added.