Lacson Flags Return of Pork Barrel Through Flood Control Projects in 2025 Budget

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has raised alarm over what appears to be the return of pork barrel allocations in the proposed 2025 national budget, cleverly disguised as funding for flood control projects. According to Lacson, his initial review of the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) reveals suspiciously large allocations to certain legislators—far exceeding what was previously allowed before the Supreme Court declared the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) unconstitutional in 2013.

In an interview with One News on Wednesday afternoon, Lacson described the current form of the budget as “mangled beyond recognition,” citing how lawmakers appear to have regained control over massive lump-sum funds through insertions into infrastructure projects—particularly flood control initiatives.

“Before PDAF was declared unconstitutional, each senator had ₱200 million and members of the House had ₱70 million. Now I’m getting information that some senators are getting as much as ₱5 to ₱10 billion, and some House members have received ₱15 billion in allocations,” Lacson said.

He cited one particularly glaring example—a flood control project in a small town with a population of just over 10,000 residents. The project was allocated almost ₱10 billion, a figure that he said raises serious questions about fairness, absorptive capacity, and transparency in public spending.

“A town that small receiving nearly ₱10 billion? That’s something we definitely need to question. I will personally raise this issue,” Lacson said. “Can a town of just 10,000 people even absorb that kind of funding? Just looking at the per capita allocation, it’s already obvious that this isn’t an equitable distribution of the national budget.”

Lacson emphasized that while flood control is an essential component of infrastructure development—especially in a country prone to typhoons and flooding—the manner in which these projects are funded and prioritized should be transparent, needs-based, and free from political favoritism.

The senator, known for his anti-pork barrel stance, warned that such insertions—if left unchecked—could once again lead to the misuse of public funds, undermining the very reforms instituted following the PDAF scam over a decade ago.

“It seems that pork barrel has simply been repackaged, hidden under layers of technical terms and project justifications. But the signs are there—it’s back, and in some cases, bigger than ever,” Lacson said.

He called on fellow lawmakers and budget watchdogs to scrutinize these allocations, demand explanations for unusually large appropriations, and ensure that every peso in the national budget serves the public interest rather than political agendas.

Lacson concluded by urging the public to stay vigilant and push for transparency in government spending. “We owe it to the Filipino people to ensure that public funds are spent wisely and fairly. Budgeting should never be about who holds the power, but about who needs the help the most.”