Lacson Exposes Billions in Pork Barrel Funds Allegedly Allocated to Lawmakers

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has exposed what he calls an “inequitable distribution” of pork barrel funds among some lawmakers, revealing that billions of pesos were allegedly allocated to certain members of Congress in the 2025 General Appropriations Act.

During a recent statement, Lacson disclosed that while most congressmen received significantly smaller amounts, one congressman reportedly obtained as much as ₱15 billion in pork barrel allocations. In contrast, several senators were said to have received between ₱5 billion to ₱10 billion each.

Lacson pointed out that prior to the 2013 Supreme Court ruling that declared the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), commonly referred to as the pork barrel, “unconstitutional,” the typical allocation was far less — with congressmen receiving around ₱70 million and senators about ₱200 million each.

“After the pork barrel was declared unconstitutional, some senators had ₱5 billion, others had ₱10 billion, and one congressman had ₱15 billion,” Lacson stated, highlighting what he described as glaring disparities in the distribution of public funds.

The senator’s revelations come amid ongoing discussions on government transparency and accountability, particularly concerning the allocation and utilization of public funds.

Efforts to reform the budget process and ensure fairer distribution of funds have been a key focus of recent legislative agendas, as concerns grow over misuse and favoritism in public spending.

The Department of Budget and Management and other concerned agencies have yet to issue official statements regarding Lacson’s claims.