MANILA — Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Monday voted “yes with reservations” on the 2026 national budget, calling on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to veto a provision that would allow the Department of Agriculture (DA) to enter into memoranda of agreement with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the ₱33-billion farm-to-market road (FMR) program next year.

Pangilinan said he supports the bicameral conference committee report but warned that allowing DPWH to implement FMR projects could undermine anti-corruption efforts and food security goals.

“Kasama ang DPWH sa mga ahensya na magpapatupad ng FMR projects kaya naman may reservations ang ating pagpirma sa bicam report. (The DPWH is among the agencies that will implement FMR projects, which is why we have reservations about signing the bicam report),” Pangilinan said, noting that DPWH continues to face unresolved administrative and criminal cases linked to flood-control projects.

“Tulad ng pagdisiplina sa ating mga anak, hindi natin binibigyan ng reward ang masamang pag-uugali. Nagbibigay tayo ng time-outs. Kailangang makuha ulit ng DPWH ang tiwala ng taumbayan (As with disciplining our children, we do not reward bad behavior. We give time-outs. DPWH has to earn back the public’s trust),” he added.

The senator stressed that under Section 52 of Republic Act No. 8435, or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act, the planning and prioritization of FMRs belong to the DA in coordination with local governments and farmers and fisherfolk.

“Di lang pagsesemento ang mga FMR project. Kasangkapang pang-ekonomiya rin ito na direktang nakatali sa pagsiguro ng ating pagkain (Farm-to-market roads are not just concrete projects. They are economic tools tied directly to food security),” Pangilinan said.

“Pinagpapasyahan itong mga FMR batay sa ano ang kailangan ng agrikultura, hindi ng pangkalahatang prayoridad sa pagawaing bayan (They should be decided based on agricultural need, not general public works priorities),” he added.

Pangilinan also cited DA data showing that DPWH is dealing with a backlog of about 60,000 kilometers of FMRs.

“Doon pa lang, dapat na tayong huminto sandali bago bigyan sila ulit ng malaking pondo (That alone should make us pause before handing them another big pot of funds),” he said.

If the objective is to speed up infrastructure delivery, Pangilinan said the answer is not simply assigning projects to DPWH. “Hindi naman basta lang masabing mabilis, dun na tayo. Ang isyu ay kredibilidad at kapasidad (The issue is not speed for speed’s sake, but credibility and capacity),” he said, pointing to the Public-Private Partnership Code passed in December 2023 as a mechanism to mobilize private capital, accelerate projects, and ensure accountability without overburdening DPWH.

“Bumoto ako ng yes dahil kailangang ng bansa ng budget (I voted yes because the country needs a budget),” Pangilinan said.

“Pero sa puntong ito, kailangan ng veto ng Pangulo para protektahan ang magsasaka, bantayan ang pondo ng bayan, at panatilihing nakatutok ang mga kalyeng sakahan sa pagpapakain sa bayan (But on this point, the President’s veto is needed to protect farmers, safeguard public funds, and keep farm roads focused on feeding the nation),” he added.