Lacson Paves Way for a More Participative Budget Process

Lacson Paves Way for a More Participative Budget Process

November 12, 2021 - With a boost from Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson, civil society groups managed to help scrutinize and make the P5.024-trillion proposed budget for 2022 more responsive to people's needs.

Social Watch Philippines and the Alternative Budget Initiative wrote Lacson on Nov. 10, thanking him for endorsing their participation in the Senate Finance Committee hearings on the budget.

"We hope that you will continue to support our inclusive budget proposals that focus on the needs of the country’s most marginalized sectors, especially since they are the ones that were most affected by the pandemic, by sponsoring before the plenary deliberations and incorporating into the good Senator’s budgetary amendments to the FY 2022 General Appropriations Bill," co-convenors Rene Raya, Ma. VIctoria Raquiza and Jessica Cantos said in a letter to Lacson.

They also commended Lacson for all his efforts in serving the country, as well as for believing in what Social Watch Philippines-Alternative Budget Initiative stands for.

Earlier, Lacson endorsed the SWP-ABI's participation in the committee hearings of the Senate finance committee chaired by Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, on the budget bill.

Lacson also supported their "Budget Serye sa Senado" discussion on the budget, where he delivered the message that the pandemic underscores the need for an inclusive national budget.

In 2019, Lacson filed Senate Bill 24, the “People’s Participation in the National Budget Process Act of 2019,” that provides privileges and incentives for accredited groups that take part in the budgeting process.

This aims to keep greedy parties from inserting “pork” and other inappropriate items into the national budget - as well as institutionalize the collaboration of legislature and civil society “to achieve a people-oriented budget as well as establish transparency and accountability in the budget process.”

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Lacson Questions 'Harassment' of Supporters Wearing Face Masks in Manila

Lacson Questions 'Harassment' of Supporters Wearing Face Masks in Manila

November 12, 2021 - Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson questioned on Thursday the seeming harassment of his and Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III's supporters by policemen in the City of Manila.

Lacson cited information that Manila Police District personnel told tricycle drivers and residents wearing Lacson-Sotto face masks to take them off or reverse them.

"Bakit pinapatanggal sa Manila ang face masks? The members of the Manila Police District are harassing tricycle drivers and people wearing giveaway face masks. May mali ba roon (Why are members of the Manila Police District having residents remove our giveaway face masks? They are harassing tricycle drivers and people wearing these masks. What's wrong with that)?" he said.

"I know the directive did not come from Crame. Walang directive. Bakit sa Manila lang (I know the directive did not come from Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame. Why is it being done in Manila only)?" he added.

Lacson - who headed the PNP from 1999 to 2001 - is running for President under Partido Reporma while Sotto is running for Vice President under the Nationalist People's Coalition.

For his part, Sotto said they will give copies of news reports of the harassment to the PNP Chief and DILG Secretary.

Senate finance committee chairman Juan Edgardo Angara added the PNP "will check on that."

"Sariling katawan ng tao yan. When you put up streamers on private property it’s not a violation. What more if a person is wearing a face mask? (What people do with their bodies is their right. When you put up streamers on your private property, that's not a violation. What more if a person is wearing a face mask)?" Lacson said.

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LACSON SUPPORTS BIR, BOC PROBE ON COVID SUPPLIERS

LACSON SUPPORTS BIR, BOC PROBE ON COVID SUPPLIERS

 

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On the BIR Probe of 45 Suppliers that Bagged Contracts from PS-DBM

On the BIR Probe of 45 Suppliers that Bagged Contracts from PS-DBM

November 11, 2021 - Whatever comes out of the subsequent criminal and administrative investigations being undertaken by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the prosecutors, one thing is clear: Contrary to the President's earlier assertions, Senate inquiries definitely serve the purpose of making those abusing public funds accountable and liable for their misdeeds - not to mention the laws that may be crafted thereafter.

Both the BIR and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) should pursue their mandate under existing laws to run after all the shenanigans and their co-conspirators in government.

That said, it remains to be seen how the Executive Department will act on the findings of the investigation.

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A PRAYER CAMPAIGN FOR AN ELECTION MIRACLE

A PRAYER CAMPAIGN FOR AN ELECTION MIRACLE

Spread the word. Post this once a week until election day.

LORD JESUS, WE SURRENDER THE DESTINY OF THIS ONLY CATHOLIC NATION IN ASIA TO YOUR MOST HOLY WILL. AMEN.

 

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iPingTV: EP1: Disiplinang Lacson

iPingTV: EP1: Disiplinang Lacson

(Please Watch and Share)

👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

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Lacson: Time to Devolve Procurement, Project Implementation Functions to LGUs

Lacson: Time to Devolve Procurement, Project Implementation Functions to LGUs

November 10, 2021 - To prevent corruption and underutilization of the national budget, it is high time that the government devolve its procurement of supplies and implementation of projects to the local government units, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson said Wednesday.

Lacson said national agencies have shown bad procurement decisions, including the transfer of P42 billion to the Department of Budget and Management's Procurement Service - which in turn allowed shady firms such as Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. to bag multibillion-peso contracts despite lack of qualifications.

"Why don’t we devolve the procurement of medicines, drugs and other items? It's about time. Time and again we have witnessed bad procurement by the DOH and other line agencies," he said at the Senate deliberation on the P5.024-trillion budget for 2022.

Lacson, who champions the empowerment of LGUs as they are in the best position to determine their constituents' needs and priorities, noted the Commission on Audit had flagged the DOH's "deficient" procurement of near-expiry drugs worth P95 million.

"We're now again putting in at least P30 billion under the House version of the budget bill to purchase drugs, medicines, medical and dental supplies. I've nothing against procurement of drugs and medicines but if we're wasting money for the procurement of nearly expired or expiring drugs, what's the sense of spending a lot of money?" he said.

He also noted that devolving the procurement of LGUs is better as shown in the purchase of ambulances with basic life support equipment.

While the DOH procured 841 ambulances at P2.5 million each, the LGUs managed to procure ambulances with similar specifications at P1.5 million each.

"Mas mahal ang procurement ng national, there are 841 units (The procurement by the national agency was much more expensive, and it bought 841 units)," Lacson said.

Meanwhile, Lacson said it is also time that the government unload from the national agencies the burden of involving themselves in the construction of smaller projects and just give it to the LGUs.

He noted that in deliberations of past budgets, the recommendations of the LGUs as contained in their local development plans were mostly disregarded by as much as 80 percent.

At the time, then Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado issued a circular that without formal endorsement from the Regional Development Councils, the DBM will not release funds to the agencies involved.

"Why not unburden the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Transportation and other agencies so they can focus on big-ticket projects instead of involving themselves in smaller projects?" Lacson asked.

It was disclosed during the hearing that of the 119 flagship infrastructure projects of the Duterte administration, only 14 have been completed while four more are due for completion before June 2022.

Lacson added devolving such functions would also be in line with the Supreme Court's Mandanas-Garcia ruling granting more internal revenue allotments to the local governments. "If we don’t start now, I don’t think we can comply with the Mandanas ruling," he said.

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On the Slash in the NTF-ELCAC's 2022 Budget

 On the Slash in the NTF-ELCAC's 2022 Budget

November 9, 2021 - Use it or lose it, as former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno once said.

Misused funds are far worse than unused appropriations. If the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee himself asserts that those entrusted to utilize the NTF-ELCAC funds cannot even provide the details on how they spent the same, they have no business asking for more.

That being said, not only do I support the slash in the NTF-ELCAC's proposed budget for 2022, if such misuse was indeed committed - the officials concerned must be made accountable, if not criminally liable.

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Lacson Withdraws Death Penalty Bill

 Lacson Withdraws Death Penalty Bill

November 9, 2021 - Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson withdrew this week his authorship of the Senate bill seeking to reinstitute the death penalty for heinous crimes.

In a letter to Senate Secretary Atty. Myra Villarica, Lacson also requested that his bill, Senate Bill 27, no longer be considered for deliberation by the Senate panels concerned.

Last week, Lacson withdrew his support for the death penalty for heinous crimes, saying it is better to spare the life of a criminal than to wrongly execute an innocent person.

"Mas mainam na ang guilty ikulong habang buhay sa halip na inosente ma-execute dahil sa pagkakamali (Better that the guilty be imprisoned for life than to have innocents executed because of a wrong judgment)," he said.

He also pushed for life imprisonment and penal reforms as a better alternative, even as he supported Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III's suggestion to confine drug lords in a "super max" penitentiary, with no means of communication with the outside world.

Lacson and Sotto earned praise from the Commission on Human Rights and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for their stance on the issue.

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On Ramon Ang's Willingness to Sell Petron Back to Government

On Ramon Ang's Willingness to Sell Petron Back to Government

November 9, 2021 - If there is one patriot among the country's leading business leaders, Mr. Ramon Ang is definitely up in the ranks. His willingness to sell back Petron to the government is one proof of that.

He has displayed his philanthropic acts many times in the past. I can mention many other names whom I had the privilege of working with, especially when I was given the difficult task to coordinate rehabilitation efforts after Typhoon Yolanda struck and devastated Central Philippines in November 2013, leading up to the crafting of the Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan in a record time of just six months.

Mr. Ricky Razon, Ms. Tessie Sy-Coson, the Ayalas, the Aboitizes, the late George Ty and sons are just some of the big names in the Philippine business sector who unselfishly volunteered their resources and more when they were needed most. They continue to be very consistent in this regard.

They are the unsung heroes of our time.

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Enrico Calderon's Post

 Enrico Calderon's Post

A steady rise in Senator Lacson's rating is beginning to show as a result of the collective grassroots effort by its volunteers under the leadership of Michael Ray Aquino.

#weneedaleader2022

#PingLacson2022

#PingLacsonForPresident

#PartidoReporma

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