Lacson Questions Proposed Transfer of P35B in AFP Modernization Fund to SPF

 Lacson Questions Proposed Transfer of P35B in AFP Modernization Fund to SPF

October 2, 2021 - Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson on Friday questioned a proposal of the Department of National Defense (DND) to transfer at least P35 billion from the regular budget of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to the Special Purpose Fund (SPF).

Lacson said such a transfer to the SPF effectively turns the amount into a "lump sum" that will be released only upon the approval of the President.

"You are proposing that P35 billion be transferred from the regular budget to the SPF. Why is that? The SPF is used to augment the regular budget and is released only upon approval of the President. Bakit inaalis nyo sa regular budget (Why do you want to remove it from the regular budget)?" he asked DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana at the Senate committee hearing on the DND's proposed budget for 2022.

Lacson did not agree with Lorenzana's explanation that unlike the regular budget, the SPF would not lapse after one year. Lorenzana said the AFP's procurement of assets is multi-year as it may take more than a year to perfect the contracts.

Also, Lacson noted that under the AFP Modernization Program, the procurement of equipment is government-to-government.

Under the DND presentation, the AFP proposed to place the AFP Modernization Program and its programmed allocations as an SPF, stating that the enabling law (RA 10349) dictates that the funds for the Revised AFP Modernization should be treated as separate and distinct from the regular appropriations of the DND and the AFP.

The SPF is defined as “appropriations in the GAA provided to cover expenditures for specific purposes for which the recipient department have not yet been identified during budget preparation.”

"Bakit natin gagawing lump sum ang otherwise itemized na under AFP Modernization Program? Baka magkaroon ng problema (Why transform an otherwise itemized amount into a lump sum? It might cause problems)," Lacson said.

"It’s either that or you are not ready yet to present the itemized list of equipment to be procured. Kung ginawa mong SPF magiging lump sum yan (If you transfer the amount to the SPF it effectively becomes a lump sum appropriation). Are you not ready to identify the equipment to procure?" he added.

Lorenzana said they will "look into it" and consider Lacson's comments on the matter.

For his part, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who presided over the hearing as chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee C, agreed with Lacson that it would be better to keep the amount in the regular fund.

"Instead of making their life miserable, we’d like to make their life easier," Lacson pointed out.

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SENATOR PING LACSON LIVE ON DWIZ

SENATOR PING LACSON LIVE ON DWIZ

👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

 

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LACSON-SOTTO SUPPORTERS FROM LAMUT, IFUGAO

LACSON-SOTTO SUPPORTERS FROM LAMUT, IFUGAO

 

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The Kind of Leader Our Country Needs Now

 The Kind of Leader Our Country Needs Now

September 30, 2021 - Running for President of this country should not be aimed against any particular person. Rather, it must purely depend on our honest desire to uplift the lives of our countrymen who have suffered more than enough from incompetence and shameless corruption, mostly caused by the callous machinations of those in power whose conscience has given way to their greed.

If it hasn’t sunk in our consciousness yet, we are at war with the Covid-19 pandemic and its multiple allied forces:

* poverty and hunger due to massive loss of jobs and closure of less competitive business establishments;

* humongous national debt and alarming budget deficit;

* stiff competition with our Asian neighbors for foreign investments and tourism even after the Covid-19 virus leaves us

On another front, we are confronted by continued “aggressive incursions” into our territorial waters in the West Philippine Sea, thus endangering our sovereign and territorial rights over our legitimate ancestral possessions.

We cannot anymore afford a “more of the same” brand of leadership during this crucial time in our nation’s history. We should know by now that it doesn’t work.

We need a leader, not a pretender. We need a good leadership track record, not apprenticeship; we need tested honesty and integrity in public service, not lip service and double-speak.

We need a leader who can decisively push the button after careful discernment and consultations with experts based on science and data-driven facts, not a trial-and-error experiment because the lives and well-being of our people are at stake - but not to the point of being paralyzed by over-analysis.

We need a leader who will use the national budget as a tool for meaningful social services especially in the health, education and livelihood sectors as well as the development of the entire country - particularly the remotest local government units - not to keep the loyalty of political allies or make political enemies submit themselves due to pressure and intimidation.

This is the kind of leadership that we need. Filipinos deserve no less.

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SEN PING LACSON FOR 2022

SEN PING LACSON FOR 2022

    Sen.Lacson run in 2001 as a senator and placed 10th with 10.5M votes. In 2004 presidential election he placed 3rd and lost with 3.5M votes. As a neophyte and a struggling politician then he lacks everything to stage a nationwide campaign. No political party, no VP, no senatorial line-up, limited financially and logistically and he learned the bitter lesson from that experience. 17 years later he will try once again but this time ready to rumble since he has everything now with a combined forces of 2 political parties Reporma and a powerhouse NPC, a winnable VP and with almost complete senatorial line up. He has also a PR firms with a tried and tested political strategist though the campaign battle now is more on online platforms and no longer in the street. 😎

    His 2007 senatorial run placed him 3rd overall with 15.5M votes and in 2016 at 4th overall with almost 17M votes considering that he was Independent. A testament of his winnability and being a dark horse despite of political persecutions, demolition jobs and character assassination's thrown against him he still alive, kicking and getting better and stronger! Bakit ko sinasabi ang mga bagay na ito? Those who were born in 2004 are the 1st time voters next year and those who voted him in 2004 like me who has a family of 6 can influence their sons or daughters to vote him. Just educate and tell them what leadership the good senator can bring to this country once elected. Iba ang kulturang pinoy follow the leader!😊

    As what I have said all the signs favors him to win next year and I considered Sen. Ping as the lone blue chip candidate among the rest. Let us all educate the 1st time voters to vote wisely for the sake of our pandemic-stricken country and not for one's popularity! #Ping2022 #LacsonSottoFor2022 #SupportPingLacson #TitoSenforVicePresident #LacsonForPresident #LacsonSotto #SupportLacsonSottoFor2022

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Pulse Asia: Sara Duterte top pick for president, Sotto leads VP polls

Pulse Asia: Sara Duterte top pick for president, Sotto leads VP polls

MANILA, Philippines — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio remained the top pick for president, while Senate President Vicente Sotto III emerged as the leading bet for vice president in the 2022 national elections, Pulse Asia’s survey released Wednesday showed.

According to Pulse Asia, Duterte-Carpio is the most preferred candidate for president with 20 percent of Filipino adults expressing support for her during the survey period from September 6 to September 11, 2021.

Duterte-Carpio maintained her lead in the presidential race despite a decrease in her rating which was at 28 percent in the Pulse Asia’s survey conducted in June.

She has announced she will not vie for the presidency.

The Davao City mayor was followed by former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos with 15 percent, Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso with 13 percent, and Senator Manny Pacquiao with 12 percent.

Senator Grace Poe got 9 percent, Vice President Leni Robredo got 8 percent, and Senator Panfilo Lacson had 6 percent.

For the potential vice president, Sotto became the top choice with 25 percent of Filipinos surveyed expressing support for his candidacy.

President Rodrigo Duterte trailed behind Sotto with 14 percent, followed by Moreno and Marcos with 12 percent each, and Pacquiao and Senator Christopher “Bong” Go with 7 percent each.

Duterte dropped to second place from the previous Pulse Asia survey results where he was the leading vice presidential candidate with 18 percent rating. Sotto was only third in the previous survey with a rating of 10 percent.

Pulse Asia President Ronald Holmes said the latest release was part of their regular survey.

The nationwide survey was based on face-to-face interviews of 2,400 adult Filipinos or those aged 18 and above. It also used a ± 2% error margin at the 95% confidence level.

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On the Latest Pulse Asia Survey

  On the Latest Pulse Asia Survey

September 29, 2021

September 29, 2021 - We’re doing alright. We have our own tracking. We are not even thinking of recalibrating our strategy.

It goes without saying that I am not questioning the results of the Pulse Asia survey even as I congratulate Senate President Tito Sotto, my running mate, for topping the latest vice-presidential survey.

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Lacson Pushes More Win-Win Measures to Encourage 'Mandatory' Vaccination

Lacson Pushes More Win-Win Measures to Encourage 'Mandatory' Vaccination

September 29, 2021

September 29, 2021 - Filipinos who insist on not getting vaccinated may change their minds with more encouragement from the government and the private sector - such as allowing only fully vaccinated people to dine, shop or patronize establishments indoors.

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson made the call for more of such win-win measures Wednesday even as he reiterated that the government should ensure that vaccines are available and accessible to all.

"Instead of forcing vaccines on people, why not make them force themselves to get inoculated? A policy of allowing only fully vaccinated customers to eat indoors, while limiting the unvaccinated to Al Fresco dining is an example. But first, make vaccines available to all," he said on his Twitter account.

He noted this policy, which some private establishments have started implementing, can be complemented with the proper information and education campaigns to make people realize the importance of getting vaccinated.

Lacson said this win-win approach would help both public health and the economy, while respecting the individual rights of citizens to their bodies, and the rights of other citizens to be protected from getting infected.

"We're facing a pandemic. How can we get out of the pandemic without taking the needed preventive measures?" he added.

On the other hand, Lacson maintained authorities will need to do a much better job in rolling out vaccines especially in far-flung areas, with the rollout there being as low as 16 percent.

Lacson said he and Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III learned of this when they visited Leyte last weekend and learned of the vaccine rollout situation there.

"We have been informed that only 16 percent of the population there had been vaccinated. In Metro Manila, officials claim the rollout is nearing 100 percent. We should also mind people in the countryside. They are entitled as much as we are but the rollout in the provinces and far-flung areas needs to improve," he said in an interview on ANC on Tuesday.

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Ogie Diaz paniwalang ‘di kawatan si Lacson

 Ogie Diaz paniwalang ‘di kawatan si Lacson

KOMEDYANTE man naturingan pero sa usapin tungkol sa bayan natin ay seryoso naman si Ogie Diaz.

Kamakailan lang ay may nasabi si Ogie hinggil sa katangian ni Sen. Ping Lacson na kakandidatong presidente na nagustuhan niya.

Maliban sa pagiging komedyante at talent manager, ratsada rin ngayong pandemic si Ogie bilang vlogger at content creator.

May mga Youtube channel siya na ang isa ay para sa interbyu ng mga personalidad, at ang isa ay showbiz roundup.

Panalo si Ogie sa rami ng subscribers sa dalawang channel niya maliban pa sa kanyang mga socmed account partikular saTwitter na mas vocal si Ogie sa paghahayag niya ng political views.

Sa isang vlog niya sa showbiz, nabanggit niya ang pagtatanggol ni Iwa Moto sa biyenang si Sen. Ping na tuloy na sa pagtakbong pangulo sa 2022 katambal si Senate President Tito Sotto na siya niyang bise-presidente.

Sey nga ni Ogie, dapat lang anya na idepensa ni Iwa si Lacson dahil biyenan niya ito. Inayunan din ni Ogie ang sinabi ni Iwa na hindi kawatan ang senador.

Pahayag ni Ogie sa kasama niya sa vlog: “Totoo ‘to, hindi siya [Ping] magnanakaw. Kasi alam mo bang hindi tumatanggap si Senador Ping ng pork barrel bilang senador…Magkano rin ‘yon, mga P200 million isang taon.”

“Kahit naman ako, gusto ko rin yung integridad ni Senator Ping. Kaya nga naloloka ako kung bakit ‘di niya tinatanggap yung pork barrel,” dagdag nito.

Ang pork barrel o priority assitance development fund ay pondo para sa mga kongresista at senador. Pero sapul nang maging mambabatas, hindi tinanggap ni Ping ang kanyang pork barrel funds dahil pinag-uugatan anya ito ng katiwalian.

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On President Duterte's Claims on the New Senate Building

On President Duterte's Claims on the New Senate Building

September 28, 2021

President Duterte has been grossly misinformed, hence he barked up the wrong tree. He should have asked his own Department of Public Works and Highways, being the procuring and implementing agency of the project.

It was the DPWH that prepared the Program Of Works, the Terms of Reference and all bid documents, conducted the bidding, awarded, prepared the contract, signed the contract, and issued the notice to proceed, including the cost of the building. The Senate representative was only an observer during the bidding process.

In fact, after the notice of award was issued, I took time to warn the contractor in the presence of some DPWH officials against giving SOP’s to anyone and in whatever form, particularly on the construction of the new Senate building.

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Partido Reporma statement:Partido Reporma statement: From Fake News to Rigged Mobile 'Text Survey': Lacson Camp Scores Another Dirty Trick

 From Fake News to Rigged Mobile 'Text Survey': Lacson Camp Scores Another Dirty Trick

September 28, 2021 - From Partido Reporma Spokesperson Ashley Acedillo: There is something really fishy when your campaign team and even supporters receive an SMS (or mobile text) purportedly doing a survey of presidential candidates for May 2022, and then the same SMS survey informs you that your chosen candidate is wrong or is considered an erroneous response.

Despite being the first to formally announce his candidacy for President, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson was omitted from a supposed "automated survey" among presidentiables? Partido Reporma spokesperson Ashley Acedillo said the "survey" appears to be part of a mind-conditioning ploy to make people think Lacson is not in the running. "The survey would ask respondents to choose from a field of seven names, but excluding Ping Lacson.”

“If the respondent chose Lacson, he or she would get an error message claiming that the reply is invalid," Acedillo said. "While we may not know who 'commissioned' this supposed survey until the organizers come out with the result, the effect is on the respondents, who will be conditioned to think that Sen. Lacson is not running," he added.

“While I myself am familiar with most survey methodologies, both face to face and online/automated - which means that those who commission it actually have a choice of what questions to field and which choices/answers to provide - our campaign team cannot rule out malice in this particular case since the omission is both very glaring and very suspicious.”

Last Sept. 8, Lacson and running mate Senate President Vicente "Tito" C. Sotto III declared their intention to run for President and Vice President respectively in May 2022, and for the record, being the first to do so.

Earlier, Acedillo scored the fake news circulating on social media that Lacson had withdrawn or is withdrawing from the presidential race, saying this was a sign of desperation from rivals.

“If this latest caper is designed to derail us by dissuading people from supporting Ping Lacson for the presidency, then it is the people who commissioned the survey who are fooling themselves with the erroneous data and results they will obtain. So go ahead, knock yourselves out," he said.

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