MANILA — A P162.9 million increase in the Anti-Money Laundering Council’s (AMLC) 2026 budget helped the agency strengthen its use of artificial intelligence in detecting and investigating money laundering, its chairman said.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor and AMLC Chairman Eli Remolona Jr. said P125 million of the additional funding was allocated to artificial intelligence capabilities and related capacity building.

“Absolutely,” Remolona said when Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson asked whether the additional funding had improved the AMLC’s capacity to combat money laundering.

Remolona made the remarks during a Development Budget Coordinating Committee briefing on the proposed 2027 national budget, nearly a year after Senate hearings into alleged anomalies in flood control projects raised concerns over the country’s ability to monitor large cash transactions.

Lacson asked Remolona how the AMLC had used the additional funding secured for the agency and whether it had strengthened its operations.

Remolona said the P125 million allocation was used for AI capabilities and for developing the expertise needed to use the technology.

The Senate finance committee, then chaired by Sherwin Gatchalian, restored the AMLC’s proposed 2026 budget to P333 million last November following Lacson’s recommendation.

The amount was higher than the P170.161 million initially proposed for the AMLC under the National Expenditure Program, resulting in an increase of about P162.9 million.

Lacson had earlier pushed for additional funding for the AMLC, saying the agency needed greater resources to investigate money laundering and corruption.

His call came after a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing examined large cash withdrawals linked to alleged anomalies in government flood control projects.

During the hearing, Lacson cited the case of contractor Sally Santos, owner of Syms Construction, who reportedly withdrew P457 million in cash over nine days in March and April 2025. The money was allegedly delivered to dismissed Department of Public Works and Highways engineer Brice Hernandez.

Lacson had also said the AMLC requested P333.1 million for 2026 from the Department of Budget and Management but received only P170.161 million under the proposed national budget.

He argued that the AMLC’s additional funding requirements were relatively small compared with the amounts allegedly involved in corruption in government infrastructure projects.

The AMLC is tasked with investigating potential money laundering activities, enforcing the country’s anti-money laundering laws and coordinating with domestic and international authorities on financial crimes.